Restless We Wait
by P.J. Bedingfield
Summary: A new problem with the supernatural at Station 51. This is a new Halloween story. Chapter 11 now up! The final outcome! Is it the end, or the beginnig?
1. Chapter 1

**It has been a while since I last submitted a story, so even though this one has not been Beta read, I felt I could go ahead and get some idea as to what people think. Feel free to make constructive critisism. Flames are tolerated as they are your opnion. **

**Any mistakes are mine and will be edited and corrected after the beta read has been completed. May you enjoy part one.**

**E!E!**

**Restless We Wait**

**STATION 51...CAR OVER CLIFF...2123 OLD FIRE ROAD...2-1-2-3 OLD FIRE ROAD...TIME OUT...2119**

"Station 51, ten-four, KMG365," Captain Hank Stanley quickly scribbled the address on a sheet of paper and handed the copy to the paramedic waiting in the squad. "Take it easy once we get to the sight, it's rained recently and the road is likely to be slick."

"Right, Cap," Roy Desoto, senior paramedic of A Shift, replied as he gave the slip to his partner.

Johnny placed the slip in his pocket until he had his helmet on, then pulled it out and glanced at the scrawled writing.

"Take a right at the second light. The road has a warning sign about fifty feet from the turn off."

Roy grunted in acknowledgement then swerved to miss a car that pulled in front of them from the parking lot of an all night convenience store. Johnny turned to yell at the driver, but quickly returned to his original position. His face had gone deathly pale.

"You okay, Johnny?" Roy asked when he noticed his partner's pale face.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine, just a little shook up."

Roy nodded, but cast a worried glance at his partner.

Two hours later the men of Station 51 returned to their quarters, tired, dirty and ready to fall in to bed.

"Man! What a stupid rescue!" Chet complained. "Why in the world did that woman drive over the cliff?"

"Well, you heard her," Johnny answered, "she was trying to dump the car so her husband couldn't wreck it while drunk."

"Yeah, but she wrecked it herself! Why didn't she just hide it at a friend's house instead?"  
Captain Stanley shook his head at the two men. "Maybe it wasn't in the script," he said and vanished into his office.

"Huh?" Chet said to his Captain's back.

"Come on, Chet, let's hit the showers then get to bed," Marco Lopez, Chet's hose partner, said and did his own vanishing act to the locker rooms.

As the men settled for the night Johnny quietly lay on his bunk staring at the ceiling.

"You okay?" Roy asked.

"Yeah. Just trying to relax a bit before turning in. Why?"

"I dunno; you just looked a little shook up on the way to the last run. What'd you see that scared you?"

"Nothing scared me. I just... oh, nothing."

"Come on, what was it? You turned white as a sheet."

"Ah, it was nothing. My eyes just playing tricks on me." Johnny rolled to his side and pulled the covers up to his neck. "Night."

"Night, Jr."

**E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!**

The next morning was cold and wet, an unusual north wind had blown in and with it came more work for the crew of Station 51. After five calls Captain Stanley called in the station as unavailable for an hour to give himself and his men a short break.

The trucks rolled in to the bay and all six men tumbled wearily from the vehicles.

"Man, it's not even noon and I feel as if a truck had run me over!" Marco said.

"Yeah, and I'm starved, we never got breakfast!" Chet moaned to those who would listen.

"Well, whose turn to cook?" Mike asked and stopped when he reached the door to the day room. "What happened here?" He glanced over his shoulder and motioned to the room before him.

The men joined their crewman at the door and gaped at the chaos inside. A single piece of paper slowly floated to the floor. Hank, the station's mascot, lay on the couch and gave the men a sorrowful look. He slipped from the couch and lumbered to his friends.

"Hank, did you do this?" Captain Stanley asked.

Hank wagged his tail and gave a soft "Woof!"

"I don't think Hank did this, Cap," Roy spoke into the silence. "It's too orderly for him."

"Orderly!" Stanley croaked. "Where's the order to this?" he waved his hand at the room.

"Look at the room again. This time, look for a pattern. The destruction starts in the center of the room and spirals outwards. It ends here at the door." Roy accompanied his words with hand motions. "What's that paper say that dropped in front of you, Mike?"

"Uh," Mike started to say then bent down and picked it up. "November 24, 1969."

"What!" Captain Stanley yelped. "1969? You sure about that, Mike?"

"Yes, Sir. Look." He handed the paper to his boss.

"Well, I'll be! It does say '69" Hank peered into the room then whistled softly. "Look, over there," he pointed to the couch. What's that hanging off the sofa?"

"Looks like a piece of material," Marco said. "I'll go check it out."

"Marco!" Chet cried. "Don't go in there! You don't know what'll happen! What if the ghost girl is back?"

"Chet, she didn't hurt us when she was here. If anything she helped us."

"Yeah, helped us right into the hospital."

Marco rolled his eyes and stepped into the room. "Look, nothing happened, okay?" He shuffled through the paper to the couch. He picked up the object in question and laughed. "It's Chet's shirt! Look, it's been tied in a knot."

"My shirt! Why me? How come I always get picked on?" Chet charged over to Marco and grabbed his shirt. "Maaaan! What'd I do to piss off a ghost?"

"What makes you think it was a ghost?" Johnny asked, trying to hide the smile that was creasing his face.

A loud banging noise interrupted the men's conversation. They looked at each other then headed for the locker room. The banging grew louder then stopped. A soft mewing could be heard from one of the lockers.

"Somebody leave a cat in the locker when we left?" Captain Stanley asked.

All the men shook their heads. Roy walked to the locker from where the sounds were coming. He carefully opened the door and looked inside. With a smile and a soft chuckle he swung open the door.

A small tortoise shell cat jumped to the floor and started to purr as she rubbed against Roy's leg.

"Murrrrow! she said then calmly walked to Marco and began the rubbing and purring again.

"Hello, kitty," Marco said as he bent down to pet the loudly purring cat. "How'd you get in there, hmmm?"

The cat looked up and blinked golden eyes at him. She stood on her hind legs and reached up to gently grasp his hand and pull it back down to her head. Marco laughed at her antics, then gently picked her up and scratched her behind the ears.

"Tell you what, Marco. I'll call animal control to come pick her up; you can keep her company until they get here."

"Sure, Cap. I like cats, but what if they don't come for a while and we get a call?" Marco rubbed the cat gently on the head and was rewarded with a loud purr.

"Put her back in the locker, I guess."

"But, Cap, how'd the cat get in here in the first place?" Johnny asked. "She couldn't have gotten in while we were gone. The door was closed."

"One thing I know about cats, John, is they can get anywhere they want. Closed doors are just a challenge." Cap reached out and gently rubbed the cat along the back then left to make the call.

"I'm telling you guys, our spook is back! I just know it!" Chet called to his shift mates as they left the locker room. Marco turned and grinned at Chet then motioned with his shoulder for his friend to follow.

The rest of the day was busy for the whole station. That night the men fell into their bunks tired and weary.

**E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!**

The morning dawned too soon for the men of Station 51, but with the promise of two days to themselves and their families, they quickly rose and prepared for the next shift.

A shrill whistle split the air causing the men to cover their ears and search for the source of the sound. As quickly as it started, the sound stopped. B Shift's Captain and Hank had run from the office when the whistle sounded and looked at the men who were now standing in a tight group. Worried looks and whispered comments floated to the two Captains.

"Did anyone find the source of the whistle?" Captain Hoosier asked.

"No, sir." "No." "It was all around us." came the replies.

A soft thumping was heard as if it were muffled tom-toms in the distance. Slowly the sound grew until the truck bay echoed with the sound and vibrations. The bay doors rattled in their frames. Dust motes fell from the ceiling and floated in a dance that would have been pretty had the circumstances been different. The sound faded, as if passing and crossing a hidden horizon.

"What the heck is going on?" Hank asked. No one had an answer.

"I'm telling ya, she's back!" Chet said to the silent men.

"What's he talking about, Hank?" Hoosier asked the A Shift commander. He was new to the station and had not heard about the events three years ago.

Hank sighed and motioned to the men to go about their business. He turned to the B Shift commander and motioned for them to go back to the office.

"About three years ago this station had a run in with a ghost." Hank stated and saw the new Captain raise an eyebrow in skepticism. "No, really. Ask any of the men." He quickly told the story of the ghostly presence and how it came about that she finally left.

"Well, Hank, I can't say if I believe you or not. I've never had a run-in with a spirit before, but I'm not going to say it isn't possible. Do you think it could be her return? How do you know it's a her?"

Hank pulled a large bound volume from the shelves behind the desk and opened the book to a page. He pushed the book over the desk for Hoosier to see.

"Well, I'll be." He shook his head. "Well, how do we go about finding out what this spirit wants?"

"Um, I don't really know. I can call the university and see if the same gal is there that helped us out before. Maybe she'll have an idea."

"Sounds like a plan of action to me. You want to call this in to HQ, or should I?"

"Why not let's wait and see what happens the next few shifts? Just warn C Shift before you leave."

"Okay, but if anything happens, I'm calling it in."

"I can tell you what those at HQ will say, but it's your call." Hank shook the B Shift Commander's hand and left the office. He was ready for two days of R & R.

**E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!**

Captain Stanley drove toward Station 51 at a leisurely pace. He was early and wanted to enjoy the last vestiges of freedom before taking on the duty of a station of men who were bound and determined to drive him crazy. Hank smiled at that last thought then gasped in surprise at the sight that met his eyes as he drew closer to the station.

In a tree beside the parking lot was what appeared to be a collection of clothing. Each piece was hanging neatly on a branch. A garish looking piece turned out to be a tie that Dwyer had bought at a rummage sale. Two T-Shirts were tie-dyed and hanging side by side. A pair of black pants and a dress shirt were together, as if waiting on a date.

Hank parked his car and stood staring at the tree with the other men. No one spoke or moved. A breeze made the clothes dance and sway. The tie fell from its branch then snagged on another briefly before floating lazily to the ground and landing in a bright heap of color at the captain's feet.

"I've heard of 'papering' a place, but not 'clothing'. Any idea who might have done this marvelous feat of wonder?" Hank asked the still quiet men. He bent down and picked up the bright piece of material.

The men shook their heads then turned at the sound of a yelp coming from inside the building behind them. Several smiled in a knowing way before all of them headed inside.

"Dwyer, you and Coker get the tree cleaned up, will ya?" C-Shift's Captain told his men. "Hank, let's go see what happened inside."

With a sigh Hank followed the C-Shift man inside and on to the locker room. Marco was standing in front of his locker looking sheepish. Chet was just standing still and glaring at his friend.

"I'm telling you, I didn't do it!" Marco protested. "Look at my locker if you don't believe me!"

Chet glanced in to Marco's locker and laughed. He quickly stifled the sound when they noticed the two shift captains in the doorway.

What's the problem here?" Hank asked.

"Well," Chet started to say.

"Our lockers are a mess, Captain. Looks like Chet might be right about her being back. Everything in my locker is hung upside down and Chet's locker is neat and orderly."

"Hey! You saying I'm not neat?" Chet snorted at this friend then hastily covered with a cough.

Hank looked in to both lockers then turned to the C-Shift Captain, "You remember our ghost, Larry? Well, looks like she's returned."

"I don't know, Hank. She wasn't destructive like this. Come on back to the office and I'll fill you in on the happenings the last two shifts." The men walked away leaving the two hose jockeys to finish dressing.

"What'd ya think?" Chet asked as he buttoned his shirt.

"About what?" Marco replied.

"This!" Chet waved his arm and pointed his finger at the lockers. "You think it could be her or something else?"

"You mean like a bad joke someone's trying to pull?  
"Man, I hope not! If it is, I'd hate to be in their shoes when they get caught."

"Yeah, me too. Come on, I need some coffee." Marco finished straightening his locker and slammed the door closed.

Roy, Johnny and Mike wandered in a few minutes later and stood talking as they changed into their uniforms. Mike reached in his locker and nearly fell when the door swung shut on him.

"What the..!" he exclaimed and glared at the two paramedics.

"We didn't do anything!" Johnny spoke up.

"Who pushed the door, then?" Mike pulled the door towards him and looked behind the offending object. "No wind, no string, no spring. What gives?"

"Good question," Roy spoke softly as he reached into his locker. When he pulled out his hand a small mouse was sitting in his palm. It twitched its nose then hopped off and waddled back into the locker. Roy went after it, but the mouse had vanished.

"It wasn't even afraid of you!" Johnny broke the silence. "Where'd it go?"

"I don't know, it's gone."

"It can't be gone! Where would it go? There isn't any holes he could get through, is there?"

"No, I saw him disappear. One minute he was there, then I blinked, and he was gone."

" I'll see you guys in the day room. I need some coffee." Mike left in a hurry, the door swinging behind him shooshing its sad song.

Roy and Johnny watched the swinging door, but said nothing. They quickly finished changing and headed for the day room when they heard their Captain call, "Roll call in five!"

Johnny hurried into the day room and poured himself and his partner some coffee. They watched the others in silence. Finally the tension grew to be too much and Chet jumped up from his chair. The scraping sound grated on ears now sensitive by the silence.

"Come on, guys. You all look like a bunch of old men standing around. What are you waiting for, the other shoe to drop? Okay, so we have a ghost. Big deal, we've had one before. Nothing really bad happened."

"Oh yeah?" Marco asked sarcastically.

"Come on, you know what I mean."

Captain Stanley poked his head into the room, "Are we going to be all day, gentlemen?"

The five men scrambled to get through the door and in line for the morning roll call.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Later that day the men were sitting around the table discussing the strange events from the days before and comparing them to the visit of the ghost from three years previous.

"She wasn't mean like this one," Chet stated then looked over his shoulder. "When did she ever tear anything up and leave it to be found?"

"Chet's right," Mike said. "All she did was play around with the equipment."

"Oh yeah, what about when she pushed a couple of guys down in the latrine and hiding my badge and..."

"Yeah, Chet, we get the picture, but none of it was done in a mean spirited way; no pun intended." Marco grinned at his joke.

Henry lay on the couch listening to the humans as they spoke in hushed tones. A sudden movement caught his eye and he sat up to see more clearly. A low woof escaped him, then a growl. His hackles raised and his eyes dilated slightly. He scrambled from the couch and trotted tot he truck bay where he barked and howled until the men followed him out.

"What is it, Henry?" Chet asked. He knelt beside the agitated hound and rubbed his long floppy ears. "I don't see anything, boy." About that time a puddle of oil formed under the engine, then slowly spread across the floor.

Henry backed away from the steadily growing puddle, growling all the while. The men stared in amazement, unsure of what to do.

Captain Stanley broke the silence with a strong outburst. "Mike, check the engine, see if the oil plug came out. Roy, Johnny, get the squad out of here, now! Go get supplies if you have too, just get out until I call you back."

"Right, Cap!" Both men climbed into the squad and Roy fairly flew from the truck bay.

"Man, what is going on?" Johnny exclaimed as he and Roy headed for Rampart.

"I don't know, Partner, but I sure got a bad feeling back there."

"Do you think we should have left them?"  
"You heard Cap. I know what he's trying to do."

"Yeah? Well, can you fill me in?"

"If the squad isn't there, maybe nothing will happen to it, or us."

"Oh." Johnny stared out the window at the passing scenery. "Think it'll work?"

"I don't know. I sure hope so."

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

_The sun had set long ago. The darkness rolled and boiled. How sweet was the taste of darkness and night. It waited and listened for the next victim. _

_Fingers of dark mist snaked from the growing blackness, searching; ever searching. It brushed a tree and drained its life, and felt itself grow a little stronger, but it needed more. The search grew until it came upon a house where bright light spilled from the windows. It decided to wait._

_After a great while the lights went out, all but one. A tiny flicker came from one room. The darkness boiled and flinched when the light touched IT. _

_Pass the room, quickly. More and better lay beyond. _

_Flowing like a black river, IT followed the path of the hallway until IT came to a closed door. No sounds came from the room beyond. _

_The darkness rippled and slid under the door, through the tiny slit where floor and door failed to meet. A deep cold heralded ITs arrival. They felt a deep cold and snuggled further under the blankets. _

_IT grew stronger as those in the bed lay sleeping their life away, but suddenly there was an interruption. Light poured in to the room and the cry of a tiny voice pierced the cold and chased the darkness away._

_Frustrated, IT boiled in anger and fled from the house, away from the light and toward the buildings behind the home. Life of a sort was there and IT would gain sustenance from there..._

_E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!_

_**Engine 51, Squad 110 in place of Squad 51...Structure Fire 2314 Old Oak Rd...2-3-1-4 Old Oak Rd...time out...20:48**_

Chet dropped the book he had been reading and made a mad dash for the engine, hot on the heels of his partner. He glanced around to see if anyone had seen how far he had jumped when the tones sounded and was relieved when no one appeared to have noticed.

As the engine pulled from the bay Chet glanced skyward and saw the dark clouds that had rolled in while he had been reading. His active imagination sent a cold chill of warning up his spine. With difficulty he shook off the feeling and concentrated on the upcoming fire and rescue.

Three hours later the engine was backed into the bay and four tired men spilled from the rig. No one spoke as three headed for the community room and two went for the showers.

"That was a rough one," Cap said tiredly. "I don't understand why people put gas next to a hot water heater then wonder why it blew up." He shook his head and reached for the cup of steaming coffee his second in command handed him.

Mike sipped the hot brew, a thoughtful expression crossed hid face. "Maybe because people today are so afraid someone will steal their gas from their cars, so they siphoned it and stored it." Mike scratched a small scrape on his neck and winced at the small jab of pain. He poured his coffee down the drain then looking at his captain he said,  
"People need to be better educated about high combustibles and heat. Do you realize this is the forth time this month we've had this type of call?"

Captain Stanley gaped at Mike, "Um, yeah, you're right. We're just lucky no one's gotten hurt or killed." He rinsed his cup then placed it on the drain board. "Come on, Pal, let's go get some sleep."

Roy and Johnny had watched and listened as the conversation played out. They were surprised at Mike's vehemence on the subject.

The two paramedics had returned earlier to an empty station and had decided to wait up for the Engine crew's return.

"That's the most I've ever heard him say," Johnny said, trying not to laugh. "I thought he had forgotten how to speak."

"Yeah, well, Junior, shows what happens when you start to think." Roy rubbed his face, "I'm gonna wash down then hit the sack." He left a surprised Johnny staring with mouth agape. "You coming?" Roy asked from the truck bay.

"Hey!" Johnny said loudly as he hurried to catch up with his partner.

Thirty minutes later the firehouse was filled with only the sound of six tired men sleeping.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

The light of the half moon began to fade as the deepest part of night crept across the land. In the shadows of the trees IT waited. Someone within the stone building had wakened IT from the deep slumber of a millennium years. IT stirred and shifted, waiting until the darkness became complete.

After a short wait, by ITs standards of time, IT began to move in a sinuous way. Slowly IT floated across the landscape and entered the building. Wafting across the floor IT sent tendrils of shadows ahead; searching and feeling, looking for ITs prey. From room to room IT passed, swiftly and silently. The search was tedious and slow, but thorough. Finally, the prey was found.

Captain Stanley rolled over in his sleep. A soft grunt floated across the still room.

Mike swatted at a dream fly.

Chet and Marco slept as if made of stone.

Johnny flipped his arm across his eyes. Roy, his partner, snored softly in a bunk with twisted covers.

A deep chill permeated the room causing all the sleeping occupants to draw their covers more tightly around them, but none awoke.

IT entered on cat paws of shadow. A soft light illuminated the man in the first bunk and IT quickly veered around him. Thin tendrils found another man and slowly wound itself around the reclining form even as it sent more feelers further into the room.

At last! Food to sustain IT! With a dark glee IT began to feed. The chill in the room grew more pronounced. Mike drew into a tight ball trying to get warm, yet unable to awake. The others also began to curl tighter as they sought warmth.

A bright flash and a loud scream of sound tour through the room and caused IT to leave with a loud shrillcry of pain. The men roused as if from a drugged sleep, but quickly became more alert as movement brought warmth back into their bodies. No one thought to mention the cold, or the fact that they had lips blue as ice.

**_Station 51...MVA...405 Freeway...Exit 89 Crow Canyon Road...Time out 03100_**

Stanley grabbed the mic and mumbled the acknowledgement. The doors to the bay opened sluggishly. Captain Stanley made a subliminal note to himself to get them checked.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

The two vehicles were backed into the truck bay thirty minutes later and again, the men separated to the different areas of the station.

"Did you feel cold just before we were called out?" Marco asked Chet and Mike.

"Yeah, I couldn't get warm. Even my nose was cold!" Chet answered.

Mike just nodded and emptied his coffee cup then rinsed it out. "We better try to get some more sleep before the wake up tones. There's not much night left." He headed for the dorms. Chet and Marco followed.

In the dorms Captain Stanley, Roy and Johnny were talking about the same subject.

"Was it my imagination, or was the room really chilly when we were toned out?" Roy asked the two men.

"It sure felt cold," Johnny said. "I've only felt that kind of cold once before, and I didn't think I'd ever get warm again."

"Oh, yeah?" Stanley said, eyeing the paramedic. "When was this?"

"Back on the reservation when I visited as a teenager. My Grandfather was holding a Medicine Walk and called down a spirit to cleanse himself and those in the tent. It got so cold I thought we would all catch pneumonia, or at least a cold."

Roy gazed in surprise at the revelation from his partner who usually never spoke about his background.

"What happened?" Stanley asked, intrigued.

Johnny shrugged then said, "It was so cold you could see your breath and some of us wanted to light a fire, but Grandfather refused. Then this "THING" came in the tent and covered each of us for a minute or so. It was so cold and felt wrong. I left. Grandfather was angry, said I had broken the circle.

"This felt just like that."

"How did you get rid of it?" Roy asked, hoping his partner would continue to open up.

Johnny shrugged, "Grandfather said something to appease it, and it left." He reached up and slid the suspenders from his shoulders. "I'm bushed. I'm gonna get what little shut-eye I can before the morning tones."

Roy and Hank watched the lanky paramedic crawl back into bed. The sound of the other three crewmen entering the room kept either of them from questioning Johnny further.

A slight chill remained in the air, so Marco and Mike pulled light blankets from the closet and distributed them around to their dorm mates.

"Lights out in two, gentlemen," Captain Stanley said. The men crawled back in their bunks and the light was turned off. Once more silence settled on the room as they drifted off to sleep.

Chet lay in the semi-darkness and tried to analyze the cold feeling. He thought about the book he was reading and decided he would toss it first thing in the morning, just in case.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Outside the building IT waited in frustration. The one who called it was inside, sleeping. The promise had to be kept before the restlessness would ease. IT refused to enter back into the thousand-year slumber before ITs ravenous appetite was cured.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

A low rumble woke the men moments before the morning wake-up tones. The building trembled and windows rattled.

"Oh man, maybe a two?" Chet grumbled sleepily. He yawned then saw his partner, Marco, still laying in bed, obviously only half alert to what was happening. Chet grabbed his pillow and smacked the drowsing hose jockey across the midsection. "Wake up, man! Can't you feel that?"

"Yeah, feels like the rumba machine is shaking the house." Marco yawned then sat up as yet another rumble was heard, then felt. "Yeah, I'd say a two. Nothing to worry about."

"You two are a couple of real jokers," Captain Stanley grumbled from where he was sitting. "Why don't you two wise crackers go get breakfast ready." This was not a question and both men slippedinto their turnout trousers.

Marco hooked his suspenders over his shoulders then reached out and smacked Chet in the head with his pillow. "Come on, Partner. You heard the boss man." Marco did not bother to look and see if Chet was following.

"Cap!" Marco's voice was filled with ire.

The remaining members of the crew dashed to the day room and looked in astonishment at the chaos that reigned.

Dishes, paper towels, dish towels, newspaper and dog food were scattered across the room. Henry was no where in sight, but a whine could be heard coming from under the sofa.

A closer inspection of the sofa showed ketchup and mustard mixed with jelly and melted ice cream smeared across the seat. Eggs had been cracked and smeared across the floor in front of the sofa.

The only neat area was on the countertops. The cutlery was neatly arranged and laying in stacks. Forks on forks, spoon with their proper sizes and knives all arranged as if waiting to be used.

"What the heck happened here?" Captain Stanley exclaimed. "Johnny, Chet, Marco, get to work cleaning this mess up. Roy, you and Mike check the trucks. I'm calling in to headquarters to report the vandalism.

"But Cap, how could this've happened without us hearing it?" Chet asked.

"Blamed if I know," Hank muttered as he strode from the room. A loud shout from the office brought the men to their superior's door.

The room was a mess. Papers, pens and pencils, paperclips and more littered the floor and desk. The wall clock was cracked and running backwards at an alarming rate. The picture of McConnike was shattered and ripped. The desk drawer had been pulled out and lay in pieces on the floor.

"Umm, Cap?" Johnny started to say, but stopped at the quelling look Hank sent him.

Hank sighed, "Back to clean up. I'll straighten up in here."

The five men left to attend to their assigned duties. By the time the next shift started to wander in most of the mess had been cleared.

"Morning, Guys," Dwyer said as he entered the door. "Is that a new way of decorating the station outside?"

"What!" all the A-Shift members said together. The group ran outside and stood staring at the mess. The trees were decorated with toilet paper and what appeared to be articles of clothing. The ground was soaking wet from the water hose that was still running.

Marco shut off the water flow and stood looking around in dismay. From where he was standing he could see the parking lot behind the station.

"Uh, guys?" he called. "Want to come look at this?"

"Now what?" Mike asked as he and the others joined Marco.

The vehicles were turned in opposite directions and parked in such a manner as to make it difficult for any one vehicle to move without hitting another. Stunned silence reined.

"Someone want to clue me in?" the C-shift Captain said moments later as he, too stood surveying the carnage.

"We, uh, that is," Roy stuttered. "Captain Stanley can explain."

Captain Michaels turned to Hank and raised an eyebrow, "Well?"

Hank stuttered around then finally said, "You guys clean this mess up, I'll have a talk with Robert and explain the situation."

With minimal muttering the men started the clean up of the grounds. An hour later they filed into the station and heard a thunderous roar.

"Why does this always happen on your shift, Hank?"

The men glanced at each other unsure if their captain needed some assistance when a laugh bounced around the truck bay. The men relaxed and grinned at each other as the tensions of the night and morning began to dissolve.

Captain Michaels and Captain Stanley walked in to the day room and was greeted by the ten men waiting for a judgment or decision.

"Seems your shift always has the interesting things happen around here. I might have to switch a couple of times just to see some of these goings on." Michaels smiled and turned to his crew. "Well, seems the station is once more haunted. This time it isn't a friendly ghost. If any of you see or hear or otherwise, anything, tell me immediately.

"I'll see you in a few days, Hank. The rest of you, have a good two days off."

The A-shift crew smiled, relieved that they had passed on trouble yet again.

Their feelings of relief would change, however, once they came back on duty.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!


	2. Chapter 2

**RESTLESS WE WAIT**

**CHAPTER II**

The A-shift crew staggered in after two days of R & R. The station was quiet. Sunlight poured into the day room making it appear light and airy.

Henry lay on the sofa, snoozing in a happy doggie daze, seemingly unaware of the humans that had just entered his domain.

Chet reached out and rubbed the prone dog's belly and flopped down beside him. Henry immediately walked across the couch and plopped himself down in Chet's lap. With a huge sigh he collapsed across the stocky Irishman, pinning him in place.

"Oof! Henry, you're fat!" Chet grinned and rubbed the dog's ears lovingly. "You need to go on a diet!"

"Only if you go on one, too," Johnny ribbed his friend.

"I," Chet paused dramatically, "am NOT fat. Marsha told me I am 'pleasingly plump'. So there!"

"Well, Pal, I tend to agree with Johnny, for once." Captain Stanley walked in to the room and grinned at the blushing fireman. "Men, seems we get a respite. C-shift is still out on the MVA from earlier. So, how about we get in some hose drilling until they get back?"

This pronouncement was met with groans and eye rolling, but each was heading out to the back of the station even as they made the obligatory response.

Twenty minutes later they heard the engine and squad returning. Six tired and dirty men headed for the locker room.

"All yours!" called Dwyer. "You'll need to make a run to Rampart for supplies!"

Roy looked over to his Captain for permission. Hank nodded at the senior paramedic.

"Come on, Junior, let's get there and back."

"Why? So we can practice rolling hoses some more?" Johnny grinned and glanced back over his shoulder at Marco and Chet who were still working on rolling the hoses. "Let's go before Cap changes his mind."

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Dixie McCall was strolling down the hall to the emergency section of the hospital when she paused and rubbed her eyes. She looked again down the hall from where she had just come and stared. With a soft laugh at herself she hurried on to report to her post. Even the head nurse had to answer to a superior if she were late.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Roy backed into the accustomed place at Emergency. After shutting off the engine he sat and stared ahead.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked, looking around.

Roy shook his head, "Nothing, I was just thinking about the last couple of days. Kinda nice not having to worry about work."

"Well, yeah, but we never worry about work. What brought this on?"

"I was thinking we might come back to a destroyed fire house. Considering everything that's been going on."

"Yeah," Johnny rubbed his chin. "I thought that myself, but it appears that nothing happened while we were gone."

"Let's get the supplies and head back. Cap had some more drills for us."

Johnny groaned, " I'm glad we have drills, but sometimes I think Cap goes overboard."

"You may be glad of that, one of these days. Come on, those supplies won't load themselves."

Johnny handed his partner the drug box then said, "I gotta go talk to Patsy. I'll meet you at the desk."

"You have a new love?" Roy teased.

"Not really. I'll tell ya about it on the way back to the station."

Roy shook his head and grinned as his partner hurried away. Whatever it was he wanted to talk about would come out eventually.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Hank Stanley sat in his office frowning at the air in front of him. The last two shifts had nothing to report, which made him think that something, or someone, on his shift was attracting spooks and spirits. Although not a religious man, he did believe in things he could not see or explain.

"Something had to have triggered this," he muttered to himself. "I just need more pieces of the puzzle." With a sigh he picked up his coffee cup and went to sip its contents. When he realized it was empty, he slammed the cup back on his desk. Deciding the cup would not refill itself, he rose and headed for the day room.

Marco and Mike were playing checkers at the table. Chet was on the sofa with Henry, who had his head in his favorite human's lap. Chet had his nose buried in a beat up looking book.

"What's the matter, Chet, can't you find anything new to read?" Captain Stanley said irritably. He walked to the stove and lifted the pot for some coffee. "Who drank all the coffee?"

Chet glanced guiltily across his book, but did not speak. "Want me to make some more?" he asked.

"I'll make it!" Hank said, the realized he was taking his frustrations out on the men. "Sorry, guys. Yeah, Chet, why don't you make some more coffee. Roy and Johnny might want some when they get back."

Hank sank down in a chair and watched the checker game in progress. Neither Mike nor Marco looked up, each studiously watching the board.

Without a word Mike took one of his checkers and did a triple jump of Marco's pieces. Marco graoned and admitted defeat.

"Here, Cap, you play him. He's beat me four games."

"Yep, you owe me three times at dishes and two at dorms."

"Gambling, are we?" Hank grinned to let them know he was not upset.

"Um, well, "Marco started to say when a loud noise from the truck bay interrupted him. No one moved for a split second, then all four rose and went to the door.

Nothing appeared to be out of place. Mike checked the engine while Chet and Marco looked around the vehicle.

A muffled meow came from inside the cabin. Marco opened the door and a gray cat jumped down and rubbed against his leg.

"Now, how did you get back here?" Marco asked in amazement.

"That can't be the same cat, Marco! Animal control came and got her." Chet said, reaching out to scratch her ears.

The cat hissed and swatted at Chet's hand, barely missing him with her claws.

"Hah!" Marco exclaimed, "she doesn't like you." He rubbed the purring cat and looked smugly at his partner. "YOU are not a cat person!"

"I like cats!" Chet cried, pride and feelings hurt. "I just get along better with dogs."

"Yeah, lazy ones." Marco smirked. "Cap, the cat's back." He cuddled the cat to his chest as he spoke, feeling the purr rumbling harder. As he passed the spot where the squad would be parked she growled, then hissed softly. Marco felt the hair on his neck rising.

"Cap, she sees something and she doesn't like it." Marco stood still, feeling the cat tremble and listening to her low rumble of a growl.

"How do you know it's a she?" Marco asked. Mike hid a smile by turning his head away from the two friends.

"No nuts," Marco stated and grinned at Chet's expression.

"You're bad, Partner! Really bad!"

"Okay, you two, let's cut the argument. Marco, are you sure it's the same cat?"

"Yes, Sir. She has the same stripe between her eyes and the same white spot on her foot." Marco pointed out the markings as he spoke.

"Anyone have any idea how she got in the truck?" Hank looked around at the men. All three shook their heads in a negative way. "Okay, Marco, put her outside. Give her some milk or something to keep her occupied. I'll go call animal control again and let them know she's back."

The doors began to roll up and the men hastily moved out of the way as the squad was backed in to place.

"Hey, Marco! Nice cat!" Johnny said as he climbed from the vehicle.

"Yeah, well, it's the same one as before." Marco turned and left the surprised Paramedic standing by the door of the squad. "What's wrong with him?"

"Cap's calling animal control again. She was in the truck this time."

"How'd she get there?" Johnny looked perplexed.

Mike shrugged and went to the day room.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!


	3. Chapter 3

**RESTLESS WE WAIT**

**CHAPTER III**

**_STATION 110...SQUAD 18...CAVE IN...BLUE SHANSEY BUILDING...222 AVE A...2-2-2 AVE A...TIME OUT 11:10..._**

"Blue Shansey Building? Didn't it get condemned three years ago because it didn't meet the building codes of the county?" Marco asked the others as they sat at the table preparing for lunch.

"Yep." Chet answered. "According to the papers the owners were supposed to tear it down and rebuild it if they wanted to open a refinery, but it was washed as a bad deal. The building was sold and marked for demolition by the new owners last year."

"And you know all this because?" asked Johnny with a smirk.

"I read the paper, Johnny-boy. You know, r-e-a-d? Didn't they teach you that at the reservation?" Chet smirked back and reached across Marco to retrieve the bowl of lettuce Johnny had been shredding.

"Yes! They also taught us r-e-s-p-e-c-t for others," Johnny shot back. He tossed the last leaf into the bowl and shoved it toward Chet, knocking the plate with tomatoes on it away from Marco.

"Hey!" Marco said disgustedly. "Can't you too co-exist even one day without arguing?"

"Sorry, Marco," Johnny said and helped put the tomatoes back on the plate. "Some people just need to learn how to THINK before speaking."

"Yeah, well, that's never been his strong point. You should know that by now," Marco said with a grin.

"Gee, thanks a lot, Partner!" Chet called from the sink where he was washing the shredded lettuce. With a wet splat Chet dumped the whole lump into a larger bowl where he placed other ingredients. "You through mangling those tomatoes, Marco?"

"Here ya go, Partner. What are we having, anyway? Lettuce and tomato sandwiches?" Marco peered into the bowl.

"Chef's Salad," answered Chet peevishly. "Keep it up and you won't get any."

Johnny looked at Marco and shrugged. Chet had acted annoyed ever since the cat had appeared and taken a liking to Marco.

Mike poked his head in the door, "Animal control's here. Where's the cat?"

"I'll get her," Marco said and hurried from the room. The slam of a door was heard and Marco's muttering to the cat followed his progress to the front of the station. A few minutes later he walked back in to the day room.

"Track said the cat got out of her kennel, but without opening the door."

"She probably wiggled her paw through the bars and opened the door. Then when she was free it closed on its own." Roy said reasonably as he too, entered the day room. "What's for lunch?"

"Rabbit food," Marco told them. "Chet's on another health kick.

"This is good stuff, guys. You're gonna love it. There's meat and veggies all together, and you can have whatever dressing you want on it. There's also shredded cheese if you want it."

"Sounds interesting," Roy said. "Move your feet, Partner and wash the table again." Roy tossed a rag at Johnny who had quickly lowered his feet from the table. With a quick swipe of the rag he then tossed it back toward the sink, hitting Chet in the face.

"Hey!"

"Oops, sorry. I was aiming for the sink."

A snicker was heard and both men looked around suspiciously, but no face showed any sign of amusement. Roy was pulling plates from the cabinet and Mike was sitting on the couch.

"Where'd you come from?" Chet asked.

"The truck bay, of course, where else?" Mike picked up the discarded paper, flipped it open to the sports page and proceeded to ignore the stocky Irishman. Henry tried to insert his way between man and paper and was pushed away for his trouble.

The tones sounded again and all activity stopped. Once it was determined the call was not for them, they went back to their different chores in the kitchen.

"Cap!" Roy called out the door into the truck bay, "lunch is ready!"

A loud crash, followed by the sounds of disgust came from the office. All the men went to see what had happened.

Captain Stanley was standing behind his desk, shirt covered with a fine powder and shimmering particles floating in the air around him.

"Who's the twit with the glitter trap?" Hank growled.

All eyes turned to Johnny, who had once before set a glitter trap for Chet.

"I didn't do it! I'm not suicidal!"

"I didn't either," chimed in Chet before anyone could accuse him.

The sound of a soft sneeze turned all eyes to the room behind the men. There on the floor sat the gray tabby cat just recently removed by animal control. She sneezed again then looked up at the men and blinked green eyes at them as if to say, 'What's going on?'

Marco's grin flashed across his face. He reached out and the cat leaped to his arms.

"I thought animal control came and got her!" Captain Stanley said, surprise on his face.

"They did. She must have gotten away again." Mike reached around Marco and stroked the cat's head. She rewarded him with a gentle butt of his hand, the gesture easily read.

A thump was heard, then the sound of nails clicking across the floor heralded the arrival of Henry, who sniffed around on the floor before looking up and seeing the cat in Marco's arms.

"Woof' Henry said and was given a reply of "Meow". Henry gave the equivalent of a doggy shrug and headed back to his favorite spot. The cat jumped from Marco's arms and followed.

"What was that all about?" asked Roy.

"Maybe Henry was giving permission for her to stay." Mike said. The others looked at him. Mike shrugged, "Who says animals can't communicate?" He turned and headed back to the day room. "I'm ready for lunch!"

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

"Storm's a brewing!" Johnny said as he and Roy headed back to the station from Rampart. They had just finished a rescue that had involved a woman and her Doberman pincher.

"Looks like a really bad one, too," Roy answered. "I hope it holds off until we get back to the station."

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Dixie sat at her desk, her mind floating half way between here and there when a slight movement caught her eyes. She turned her head and peered into the shadows by the elevators. The day had turned cloudy, but that did not explain the overly dark corner in the waiting room. She rubbed her eyes, thinking it was just a play of the light when she saw it move.

"Dix?" a soft voice said, breaking her eye contact with the shadow. "Something wrong?" Dr. Morton was standing beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder. "You've gone awfully pale."

"No, no, I'm okay, Mike. I...thought I saw something over in the corner by the elevators. I guess I must be more tired than I thought". She glanced back to the corner and saw that the shadow had indeed become lighter.

"Didn't your shift end an hour ago?" he asked her.

"I'm waiting for Patsy to check in. She had to run up to personnel for a minute."

"Umm, okay, but you get out of here as soon as she returns. It's getting ready to let loose and it looks to be a bad one."

Dixie nodded, "I noticed. Don't worry, I'll be home long before it hits."

Morton grunted at her in a friendly manner. She was his favorite of all the nurses and he felt a certain protectiveness about her. If it had not been for her, he may never have made it through his internship.

After he had left, Dixie looked toward the corner once more. The darkness had not returned and she brushed it from her mind.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT slid between the double doors and into the soothing darkness below. IT had found a place to hide and feed. No one seemed to care when it fed and no alarms were raised. One had seen it. One had to be vanquished.

IT had noticed the dimness before the One. IT could feel the electrical impulses building in the air like a giant magnet. The pull was strong, beckoning for IT to come out of hiding, but IT knew the falseness of the claim. IT would wait. Time was on ITS side and patience was being learned the hard way.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!


	4. Chapter 4

**RESTLESS WE WAIT**

**CHAPTER IV**

Dixie hurried from the building, hoping to get to her car before the weather broke. She glanced upwards at the ominous rumble of thunder. One large drop hit the ground in front of her.

Once at her car she opened the door and stopped in surprise. A gray striped tabby cat was laying in the driver's seat. It was curled into a tight ball, tail wrapped snuggly around it.

"Now, how did you get in here?" she asked it.

The cat looked up at her and yawned. It blinked its luminous green eyes at her then stretched to its full length.

"I don't know how you got in here, but you can't stay. I'm not allowed pets at my apartment." She felt silly standing in the parking lot talking to a cat. She reached down and ruffled the cats hair. "Come on, out now."

The cat blink again and turned its back on her. The cat caught its tail and gave it a good lick before turning in the seat three times before settling back down, flatly refusing to budge.

"Now look, cat, this is my car and I said you can't stay, now shoo!" Dixie reached down to pick the cat up and place it on the ground, but the cat immediately fluffed up and spit and hissed at her.

Startled, Dixie took a step back. She tried to remove the cat again and this time got a swipe of paw, claws sheathed, and a warning growl.

"Problem, Dixie?" a familiar voice asked.

"This cat won't let me get her out of my car!" Dixie sputtered.

Mike Morton laughed and reached in to gently pick the cat up and rub its head. A loud rumbling purr came from the animal. She stretched upward and rubbed her head against his chin. With a quick lick she turned and jumped back in to Dixie's car.

"See! What's wrong with her? She let me pet her, but when I tried to get her out she hissed at me and tried to claw me." Dixie looked in exasperation at the animal now placidly sitting in the car.

Another low rumble filled the air. A bolt of lightening flashed, causing the area to temporarily brighten. Dixie caught the sight of a dark shadow that was quickly swallowed by the darkness left behind after the flash. She stepped back in shock and fear. She had seen that shape earlier, and possibly even before when she had almost been late for her shift.

"Dixie?" Morton said, dancing on one foot. The head nurse had tromped his foot in her haste to back away from the cat.

"What? Oh, Mike, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to step on you!"

"Morton shook his head, " Better you than a truck. You don't weigh as much."

"What?" she asked.

"Never mind, I'll tell you later." Mike grinned at her.

"In the meantime, what'll I do about the cat?" Dixie looked at the now sleeping animal.

"Take her home with you?" Mike asked, scratching the tip of his nose.

"I'm not allowed pets."

"Hmm, I'm not much of a cat person, either."

"Dixie, Mike, is there a problem? You two are getting ready to get wet." Kelly Brackett, head of the emergency section of Rampart, strode up to join the two beside the car.

"Where'd you get the cat?"

"I didn't." Dixie scowled.

"What's the problem, then?"

"I can't get her out. She hisses and spits when we try to get her out."

"Hum, tell you what, how about I take you to dinner and when we get back, maybe she'll be gone." Brackett smiled down at Dixie.

"Well, if you two have it covered, I'm outta here!" Morton told the couple. "Try and stay dry!"

"Thanks, Mike!" Dixie called to his departing back.

"Well?" Brackett asked.

"Fine, where're you taking me?" Dixie closed and locked the door. The cat yawned and stretched and made itself more comfortable.

"You better not die in there!" Dixie told it.

Brackett laughed and took Dixie's elbow, "Come on, Cat Woman, before you get your fur wet."

The two made it to Brackett's car and inside just as the deluge hit.

The cat sat up and looked out the window at the departing vehicle. With a rumbling purr of approval she lay back down and waited for the darkness to come.


	5. Chapter 5

**RESTLESS WE WAIT**

**CHAPTER V**

Thunder rolled and lightening flashed. The rain fell in heavy sheets making visibility almost nothing. Inside the car the cat lay sleeping. A sudden coldness alerted it to the presence of another.

Evil. IT was pure evil. IT boiled in anger and frustration. IT had been thwarted yet again from the prey IT sought. One reason lay unconcerned in the vehicle. IT waited until the blackness descended once more then quickly sailed into the vehicle that sat quiet before IT.

With a rush, IT slipped through the hood and into the vents, then into the car where the cat lay waiting. IT knew the cat was there and IT hated the creature even more than the frustration of going without.

The cat yawned and stretched, waiting. The only sign of life was the occasional flicking of the tail and a tremble in the whiskers. The cold did not bother her.

A finger of darkness crept through the vent, searching. Another followed, and yet another. Finally, most of the darkness was in the car, filling it with its death-like chill. Still, the cat did not move. IT became bolder and surrounded the cat, leeching the life from it.

A bright light flashed, causing pain to fill the darkness. IT howled and writhed. Another bright flash and IT lost the presence of the cat. A hiss filled the darkness, then a yowl. One final flash and IT left the car, pain and anger lanced through IT.

The cat sat, waiting, but the darkness did not return. With a loud purr, the cat slipped through the car and out, then vanished.

IT did not see. IT was hurting and hiding in the darkness. IT would return to the master, the one who called IT back into the world. IT rose and floated among the clouds until its destination was reached, then IT slipped to the ground and into a hole in the brick wall. IT would wait.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

The lights in the building flashed one, twice, then went out completely. The lightening was almost continuous. The wind howled around the doors and windows. The large double doors on front of the building rattled and shook, trying to loosen their moorings.

One extra loud rumble of thunder and Henry was under the sofa, whining and shaking. The cat strolled into the room looking unconcerned, and certainly not frightened. She peered under the sofa at the shaking dog and meowed a question at him. Henry howled an answer, but refused to leave his hiding place. The cat purred at him and crawled under the couch.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT was elated. The darkness provided safety. IT slowly left the hiding place and headed for the building, but a bright flash of lightening and the return of lights inside sent IT scurrying back to the safety of the hole.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

The bay doors rattled open. Flashing red and white lights played a pattern across the walls and floor. The rattling of the doors was covered by loud thunder and the sudden flash and crash of lightening.

"Get that door down!" Cap yelled over the sound of thunder. Roy pushed the button and watched the weather until the door blocked his vision. He peeled his turnout coat off and shook it out. Water droplets flew everywhere.

"Watch it, will ya!" Johnny groused as water hit him in the face. "I'm wet enough already."

"Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, Pal!" Chet grumped at the lanky paramedic.

"Coffee! I need coffee!" Marco headed for the day room. "Hey, who drank the brew and didn't put more on!"

"My fault!" Mike called as he headed for the dorms.

"Where's Henry?" Chet asked, looking around. Another flash of lightening was followed by a roll of thunder. Chet winced at the brightness. When his eyes had refocused he saw Henry's tail peeking out from under the sofa. A low whine and a soft mew was heard.

Johnny and Chet knelt by the sofa and peered under it. Henry and the cat were laying as far back under the furniture as they could get. The cat was on top of the dog holding one of Henry's ears. She licked it in a reassuring manner, then murmured to him in her own way.

"Awe, come on out, Henry. It's just a little thunder and lightening. Come on," Chet wheedled.

Johnny rolled his eyes and reached for the dog. "Come on, Henry. We're here now. Mamma Chet will protect you from the big bad thunder." He glanced at his friend to see the reaction he would get and grinned at Chet rolling his eyes.

After some coaxing the dog scooted from his hiding place and leaped at Chet.

"Oof! Henry, you big oaf! Get off me!" Chet shoved the dog from his lap and stood. "Crazy mutt."

Henry climbed on to the sofa and looked hopefully at his favorite person. The cat came out and jumped up beside the basset. She rubbed against the dog, murmuring in her own language the reassurances the hound needed. Henry flopped down and the cat climbed on top of him. She gave his ear a lick then curled up and went to sleep.

"Will you look at that," Marco said in wonder. "I've never seen a dog and cat be friends before, especially if they didn't grow up together."

"Yeah, it's weird, kinda like what's been happening around here." Johnny stood with his hands braced on his hips, looking at the pair. "Strange indeed."

"Anyone want some coffee?" Roy interrupted the two's conversation before they could actually agree on something. Chet, he noticed, was scowling at the two men.

"Sounds good, Roy," Cap answered.

"Not me, I'm turning in. If the lights go out, I want to be horizontal." Johnny stated and left the room.

"Me, too," Marco said.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT waited, crushed as far into the small hole as possible. The storm had passed in the night and now bright morning sun filled the area where IT lay hidden.

Suddenly, IT felt a pull. The Master was calling, but IT could not answer, not as long as the light shone so brightly. The light hurt. IT writhed with impatience. The call was strong, stronger than it had been when first IT came to the presence.

As quickly as the call had started, it ended and IT could rest once more. IT was weak from hunger. Tonight when darkness fell, it would strike and feed. The call had been so strong. Yes, tonight IT would feed and it would answer the call.


	6. Chapter 6

**RESTLESS WE WAIT**

**CHAPTER VI**

The darkness was complete. The building was quiet except for the sound of deeply sleeping people within. IT moved restlessly. ITS hunger was overwhelming and IT was ready to feed.

Lights flared and the sudden wailing made IT draw back. Frustrated once more ITS anger boiled over and IT flew to the sky. Rapidly IT flew until the downtown portion of Carson came in to view.

Down IT went and landed on the first hapless victim IT could find. A homeless person, sleeping on a park bench died in the quiet dark of the night. Again IT rose and passed through the town, finding another victim. Three more were attacked and their empty shells left behind for police to find and try to puzzle out.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

On the news the following day coverage of the discovered cadavers made top story. People were huddled around television sets watching the macabre scenes flash across their sets. Fear slowly penetrated the small town and police were begging for the public not to panic and also asking for witnesses to step forward.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

"Hey, guys, come listen to this!" Chet was watching the noon news on Roy's television. The men had met up at the paramedic's home after leaving the station for a much needed two days off.

"What?" Johnny asked as he strolled into the room. "What's that thing?" He peered closely at the small screen.

"It's what's left of a homeless man. They found him laying under a tree in the park just down the road from the station."

"Really?" Johnny asked, raising his brows in surprise. "I heard something about someone else being found at the beach."

"Not just one, three more. This makes number five in two days."

Roy walked in followed by Marco and Hank. "Are you talking about the deaths?"

"Yeah, they just found another body." Chet reached out and grabbed a burrito and began to munch on it. "The news people are calling it a crime spree."

"More like a serial killer," Marco plopped onto the couch and reached over and grabbed a hamburger from the tray Roy placed on the small coffee table. "How's the burrito?"

Chet wiped his eyes and choked slightly, "fine! What's in these things?" he wiped the tears from his face and grabbed his beer.

"Jalapenos, onions, beef, beans and a little chili powder. Oh, and some hot salsa. That's how mamma makes 'em."

Chet swallowed the beer and reached for another of the fiery concoction. "We didn't have these when I was growing up!"

"You're still growing up, a hopeless situation because you'll never get full grown." Johnny grinned at the scowl Chet gave him.

"Shh!" Mike said as the news returned after a commercial break. "Have any of you noticed the proximity of these killings to the station?"

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT swept through the town. Anger and frustration boiled IT to a maddening rage. Victim after victim fell to ITS evilness.

Two men caught up in an argument never felt the presence of IT when IT engulfed both of them. The coldness entered their hearts and one man ended up dead from a gunshot, the other fell to the ground, dead from an unknown source.

A homeless woman was found dead on the corner at a bus stop. Two teenagers wrecked their car and failed to get out alive, again, due to an unknown cause.

IT rejoiced in the frenzy of feeding, uncaring of the death and destruction IT was leaving behind.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Meblba sat in her rocker beside the window overlooking the spacious lawn of the nursing home. She sighed in loneliness. A soothing breeze ruffled the curtains at the window and a slight chill entered the room. Melba drew her shawl closer around her old bent shoulders and continued to gaze out the window. She did not see the deeper darkness creeping closer to her.

The light flooded the little room and Melba turned to see who had disturbed her and the darkness. She frowned at the heavy set nurse who bustled around the room getting things ready for the night.

"Must you disturb my silence now?" Melba asked querulously.

"Now, Melba, it's almost ten o'clock and you should have been in bed over an hour ago. You know the rules."

"But my son promised to come see me, and he hasn't made it yet." Melba scowled again and turned away from the nurse. "Just go and turn off the light. I like the dark, it's cooler than the lights."

The nurse sighed. Melba still would not accept the death of her only son. He had died three days before in the sudden killing spree. Quickly she turned back the sheets on the bed and plumped the pillows.

"Well, everything's ready when you are, Dear. Good night. I'll check on you in the morning."

The nurse left with a bustle, flipping the switch to plunge the room back into darkness.

"Don't stay up too long!" and she was gone.

The silence returned and Melba went back to staring out the window. The night had gotten darker and the air cooler. Melba shivered and started when a thin tendril of mist crept over the windowsill. She watched in fascination as the thin wisp grew into a larger blackness. She tried to call out, but the darkness became suffocating and a heaviness settled in her chest.

Her bones began to ache and her breathing grew shallow. The darkness intensified until she gave in and slumped over the arm of her chair. A soft cry escaped her lips and the room was suddenly flooded once more with light.

IT pulled away from the woman and turned on the one entering the room, but left in haste at the light of the figure.

Father Dias heard Melba cry out and entered her room without thinking. He felt the strange intense cold and saw the deep blackness in the room. It appeared to turn on him for a brief moment before disappearing from the light.

Quickly he crossed to the old woman's side and felt for a pulse.

"Daisy, call nine- one-one! Melba's had a heart attack, I think!"

The sound of hurrying feet filled the hallway and soon the tiny room was filled with people who transferred the fragile patient to her bed.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

"**SQUAD 51...POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK AT DRYERS NURSING HOME...2445 WEST HARTFORD...DRYERS NURSING HOME...2-4-4-5 WEST HARTFORD...TIME OUT 0230...**"

Captain Stanley grabbed the microphone beside his bed and confirmed the call. He handed Roy the slip as he passed by on the way out. Johnny grabbed the slip from his partner and climbed into the squad, still wiping sleep from his eyes.

"Man, a heart attack at a nursing home! Sure hope it's not one of the patients!" Johnny muttered.

"It's a nursing home, Partner. Our older members of the population live there."

"You know what I meant!" Johnny grumbled as he pulled the strap tighter under his chin. "Turn left at this light."

A few minutes later the Squad was turning in to the drive of the nursing home. They passed through a dense shadow and up the curve to the front door. Johnny shivered when they passed through the shadow and glanced at Roy to see he, too, was shivering.

"That **_WAS _**just a shadow and heavy mist, wasn't it?" Johnny asked as they unloaded their equipment.

"Well, if it wasn't, I'd hate to run through it again."

"Yeah, creepy."

Melba was laying on her bed wrapped in a heavy comforter. She was shivering and crying. When she saw the two paramedics she cried out in a high shrill voice, "It was evil! It was trying to take my spirit!"

Johnny eyed the old woman, but did not speak immediately. He pulled out the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. He gave her a smile and patted her hand gently.

"It's okay. We'll take care of it." He had no idea what she was talking about, but she needed to be calmed and he used his best gentle voice on her.

She shook her head and pushed at his hands, trying to get the blood pressure cuff off. She became more agitated as the seconds passed.

"It's outside, now! Just under the window! It's waiting to come back! Please, you've got to do something!"

"Okay, okay, now just lay quietly and I'll check it out." Johnny soothed Melba the best he was able then rose to his feet. He leaned out the window and searched the area he could easily see. Down the drive he could still see the intense darkness he and Roy had passed through, other than that the area was clear. He frowned. The darkness did appear different from the other shadows. He shrugged and turned back to the patient.

"Whatever was here is gone now. There's only stars and lights and shadows." He smiled at her.

Melba relaxed back against the pillows of the bed, "The lights must have chased it off. Oh, thank you!"

Suddenly a wail broke the quiet of the nursing home. One of the nurses left the room on a run. Another wail joined the first and soon the whole branch of the nursing home wing was filled with noise.

"Wonder what's going on," Roy said quietly as he replaced the receiver on the biophone.

"I dunno, but I bet it isn't good." Johnny smiled at Melba again then turned back to his partner, "You want to ride with her?"

"Sure. Maybe we should check to see if we're still needed first?" Roy started to leave the room, but Melba stopped him with a giggle.

"Don't worry about that racket. It's just Old Mister Crankers down the hall. Anytime there's the least bit of excitement he goes to screeching and wailing. Always wakes up the whole wing."

The nurse entered the room as Melba finished the explanation. She smiled and nodded at the two men.

"Melba's right. No emergency. Which hospital will you be taking her too?" the nurse looked at her chart, "We usually use St. Francis, but they're swamped with emergencies from an automobile accident."

"We'll be taking her to Rampart Emergency, if that's okay with Melba, here," Roy smiled at the woman.

"Oh, yes. Are there other cuties like you there?"

Johnny and Roy chuckled at the old woman's spunk.

"Melba, I'll introduce you to the best and cutest doctor there tonight, how's that?" Roy said with a smile.

Melba smiled her acceptance and waved at the nurses as she was wheeled out to the ambulance.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT slowly drifted away. A sudden knowing came to IT, and as the lights flashed their colorful red and blue dance, IT knew how to get to the Master.


	7. Chapter 7

**Restless We Wait**

**Chapter VII**

Dixie glanced up at the darkening sky and hastened to her car. The wind had died, but the clouds continued to roll and boil overhead. A long low rumbled rolled across the heavens quickly followed by a bright flash of light. Another storm had blown in from the coast and threatened to tear the umbrella from the head nurse's hand.

IT remained hidden in the clouds and did not flinch from the sudden flash of light. The week of feeding had strengthened IT and now IT feared no one and nothing. The darkness of IT was intense enough to bring a leaden appearance to the clouds.

IT saw the One get into the mechanical device that many of her kind used to get from place to place. IT had a knowing about the destination of the One and was prepared to put the plan into action.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Dixie started the car and carefully backed from her place. She maneuvered around other parked vehicles and waited at the exit for traffic to clear. She gave the car some gas and joined the departing traffic from the hospital then turned left and headed to the hills just past the city limits. A friend was waiting for her at a small cafe' so they could finalize wedding plans for her friend's sister.

IT followed the swiftly accelerating vehicle and thrummed with excitement. **_SOON! _**

As the miles passed IT grew more and more excited. A blast of cold air caused IT too swing upwards into the clouds before descending once more to follow the prey.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

The darkness fell quickly and Dixie turned on her headlights. She felt the car sway in a sudden gust of wind and slowed her speed momentarily. Just ahead was the exit she needed and with a flick of the wrist her blinker was on and the car was slowing. The road ahead was filled with switch back turns and sharp corners, as well as several bad drop off spots that she wanted to avoid.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT felt the thrill of the hunt. The mechanical animal turned and headed across the sharp terrain. Quickly IT lowered to ground level and sped along side the creature within which road ITS prey.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Dixie glanced out the side window of her car and peered into the deepening darkness. She had never seen the night so intense. Another gust of wind returned her attention to the road ahead. The trees on each side waved their branches around as if trying to sweep the clouds from the sky. The swoosh of her wiper blades made a hypnotic sound so Dixie turned the radio on for background noise. The blare of music made her jump and she laughed nervously.

Dixie saw the first switch back ahead of her and cautiously slowed to the recommended speed. Two other sharp curves followed and Dixie slowed even more. After the third curve she knew there was a straight-a-way of three miles before the final curves leading to her destination. With the music playing and the windshield wipers popping rapidly, Dixie relaxed slightly.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT saw the prey relax and knew the time had come. With the swiftness of a snake IT made a blurred shape of an unidentifiable animal. Ahead was a curve and just before the mechanical animal could slow, IT darted into the path of the lights.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Dixie jammed on the brakes and felt the car slide. She turned the wheel trying to keep the vehicle on the road, but screamed in terror when the car slipped over the edge and down into a steep gully.

The car bounced and jounced its way down and came to a sudden stop against a boulder. Dixie felt her head crack against the side window and the last thing she saw was a dark shape looming over the car and a cold chill filled the space.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Marco walked into the day room and saw Chet sitting on the sofa, the station's mascot, Henry, was curled beside him.

"Hey, man, why the tense look?" Marco stood in front of his friend.

"What?" Chet said with a start. He dropped the book he was reading. "Man, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"What sneak? I walked in just like always. You're sitting there stiff as a board looking like you're gonna jump through the roof."

"Oh," Chet gave a weak smile and a chuckle. "Yeah? This book is enough to scare even the bravest heart. Especially in this kind of weather!"

"Let me see it." Marco snatched the book and read the title, "Spells and Incantations to Make You Rich in Thirty Days. Come on, you don't believe this stuff, do you? And what's so scary about it, any way?"

"Some of the stories in here," Chet grabbed the book back, "have the results of the spells, and they aren't pretty." He flipped through the book and stopped at one of the chapters.

"Look, this is about some dude from Georgia. HE used the spell on this page and got gobs of money, but before he could spend much of it, he died a mysterious death. And in this one,' he quickly flipped again, "A lady from Michigan used the same spell and she died of unknown causes just after she got her money!"

"So are you gonna try it, too? Maybe if you died I'd get a better partner and the Phantom would leave us alone." Marco laughed at Chet's incredulous expression.

"Marco, these are real people! You shouldn't laugh! Besides, I've said several of these things and nothing's happened to me, so they obviously don't all work."

"Yeah, right, they just bring spooks and goblins." Marco turned away and unseen by Chet, crossed himself, after all, one could never be too careful around the paranormal.

The door to the truck bay was heard opening, then the rattle of its closing filled the silence for a moment. Roy and Johnny strode into the room.

"Look, Johnny, I told you, what you saw was just a trick of the lights. What you saw was a shadow, nothing more."

"Oh yeah, where'd that sudden chill come from, a refrigerator? The fire was so hot that cold of air couldn't possibly have been natural and that animal was no shadow! I tell you, I saw the eyes! They were red!"

Roy handed his partner a cup of steaming coffee, "Okay, maybe you saw a dog. Sometimes the refracted light looks red. That cold we felt was probably a down draft from the storm brewing."

Johnny shook his head, "No way, man. There's something out there and it's stalking us or someone in this station."

"You sound like Chet, now." Marco joined the conversation. "I just scared his wits out of him by asking a question."

"That shouldn't prove too hard to do," Johnny said with a grin. "After all, he's already pretty witless."

"Ha-Ha," Chet said then hid once more behind the book he was still holding.

"What's that you're reading now?" Johnny asked as he walked across the room. "How to get a brain in one easy lesson?"

"For your information, Pal, I'm gonna be rich in a few days and then we'll see who's brainless!" Chet shot back.

"From reading a book? Let me see that thing!" Johnny grabbed it and looked at the title. His face lost all color and he stared at the short Irishman. He flipped through the book and stopped at a place where a page had been removed, leaving only the serrated edges attached to the binding.

"Where's this one?" Johnny pointed to the page.

Chet pushed Henry aside and rose from the sofa. "What one?"

"Here, on page one-sixty-six. It's been torn out."

Chet shrugged, "Dunno, that's probably why I got it for two dollars instead of five. Why?"

"It's a counter-spell to the one on page twenty-five, and it could be the reason we're having trouble again. Have you used any of these things?"

"W-w-ell, yeah, a couple of them. But, nothing's happened." Chet rubbed the back of his head. "I only read them, I didn't do any of the motions or anything."

Johnny stared at the chunky fireman and shook his head. "Man, you just never cease to amaze me. You do realize that these things are real? There's real consequences for the use of these things and if you do them wrong, you'll really be in big trouble."

"You have to do it all though to get any kind of results! Just saying the words won't make stuff happen. Heck, if that was true we'd all be in deep by now, cuzz I saw Cap reading it and muttering, and Mike, too." Chet stood with arms crossed against his chest.

Johnny looked at the quiet Engineer who was cooking the dinner. Mike shrugged in silent answer to Johnny's silent question.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Chet. You're messing with something you have no idea how to handle. I've had my run-in with this stuff, never again."

The lights in the building dimmed then brightened as a flash of lightening lit up the sky; low rumbles followed. The sound of rain drowned out any further conversation and the men turned their sights to the food now sitting on the table before them.

As the men dug into their food Henry sat up and gave a short "Woof!" In strolled the cat who jumped up and attacked the dog's long floppy ears. She let out a rumbling purr and settled down to sleep.

The men laughed at her and the dog then concentrated on the food before them, hoping to eat before another run could be called.


	8. Chapter 8

**Restless We Wait**

**Chapter VIII**

"STATION 51...CAR OVER CLIFF...CRAGGY MOUNTAIN ROAD ABOUT 4 MILES FROM ENTRANCE RAMP...CRAGGY MOUNTAIN ROAD ...TIME OUT 0245..."

"Ten four, KMG 365," Captain Stanley acknowledged as he scribbled the information on a note pad. He pulled his suspenders over his shoulders and slipped on his turnout coat. Roy passed by at a trot and Hank gave him the copy as he passed.

After pausing by the large area map to locate the accident, all the men climbed into their respective vehicles. The bay doors opened slowly and noisily and the trucks pulled out, their sirens shrieking into the pre-dawn morning, breaking the silence with their mournful call.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Consciousness slowly returned and Dixie tried to figure out who was moaning in the bed beside her when memory brought back the accident. She tried to sit up straighter to relieve some of the pressure on her legs but was quickly thwarted by the big cat laying across her, successfully pinning her to the seat. What she had thought was the rumble of a small motor turned out to be a low rumbling purr from the animal sharing her car seat.

Surprise and shock held her still. Then the cat turned and blinked it's luminous eyes at her and a rough pink tongue raked across her chin and cheeks.

"Uck! That hurt, you big oaf! Get off me!" Dixie tried to move the animal, but was defeated by the passive resistance from the cat. Its purr grew louder and the animal pressed Dixie more firmly against the seat.

With a swiftness Dixie was not expecting, the cat's purr changed to a low warning growl. Cold seeped into the wrecked vehicle, followed by a deep tense darkness. The cat wrapped itself firmly around Dixie and growled even louder.

Dixie sat still, unable to move more than an inch one way or the other. The large cat, a cougar, she realized, was between her and whatever had caused her to loose control of the vehicle. Its presence was reassuring, if not plain warm, so Dixie relaxed and did the only thing she could do; wait.

The coldness grew more intense. Dixie was able to glance through the cracked side window and the total blackness gave her pause. She strained to look toward the sky, but all she could see was black.

A feeling of dread and fear worked its way up her spine. The fear was unreasonable, she told herself. No one would hurt her with a hundred pound cougar sitting on her. Then again, they could not help, either!

Judging time was impossible in the darkness. She had forgotten to put her watch back on after assisting in an emergency surgery. The longer she sat in the car, the colder she grew, but the cougar refused to let her up, or out.

Something moved outside the car. There was no definite shape, only a deep shadow of the darkness. A misty tendril trailed across the broken glass leaving a line of moisture behind. It also left a shiver running up and down Dixie's spine once more. Something short of a hissing whisper filtered through the closed window. It almost sounded like a voice, but too soft to be certain.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT stopped short of the car. Inside was ITS prey, but a feline of huge proportions had appeared and now lay protectively across the intended victim. IT writhed in anger. IT sent the coldness filled with fear into the mechanical creature to try and flush the ONE, but the cat refused to budge and ITS prey was safe.

IT brushed against the car, having drawn the information from this One's mind. IT trailed across the cracked glass and left ITS mark so the cat would know it could not win. Darkness was on ITS side now and no lights penetrated the area.

IT felt the warning growl, but a sense of sheer pleasure coursed through IT and a knowing of triumph was at hand kept IT from leaving in anger. IT watched the cat, waiting patiently.

Something moved overhead. Lights! IT hissed and started to draw back, but the lights went on after a short time. IT moved in once more, triumph written in the darkness.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Dixie drifted in and out of consciousness. She had no idea how much time had passed. At one point she thought she had seen lights, but then darkness fell again and she dropped back into the world of unknowing.

The cougar watched her. Its luminous eyes glowed in the darkness. Twice it purred deeply and brought the woman back. Help was on the way now. IT could not, would not win. This night would be ITS undoing.

In the distance the mournful wail of double sirens was heard and the cougar perked its ears in the direction from which the sound came. Another deep purr emanated from its throat and Dixie felt the vibrations change from a croon to a deeper, more anxious call. She stirred once and thought she heard a siren, then fell back into the darkness of unconsciousness.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

"There, I see a hole in the brush!" Johnny pointed the area out to his partner. "Slow down now, this curve is a bad one." Johnny grabbed the mic and radioed to the engine following them, "Cap, I think we found it. There's some bushes down and possible skid marks."

"Ten-four, Squad 51," Captain Stanley answered and motioned to Mike to slow and be ready to pull over.

Mike nodded his acknowledgement and shifted the big rig down.

"Marco, you and Chet check for any signs of fire. I'll radio in for a brush team and more lights!" Hank swung around and opened his door before the engine came to a full halt behind the squad. "See anything?"

"No," Roy said flatly, "It's too dark down there to see anything. Johnny, pull the squad around so the lights are shining out over the ravine."

Johnny waved and climbed into the squad. Moments later the high beams cut a swatch through the darkness and the glint of light off of something metal caught their eyes.

"Over there!" Roy pointed.

"Okay, get what gear you think you'll need and get ready to go down. I've got back up on the way and we'll have more light." Captain Stanley turned to the others, "Marco, Chet, any signs of fire visible?"

"I see what might be smoke down there, but it could just be mist." Marco stood looking into the steep drop off to the ravine. "Cap! I think something's down there that isn't human! It looks like a cougar!"

"What?" Captain Stanley joined Marco where he was standing, "Where? All I see is gray mist."

"Watch, you'll see a shadow move. It looks like a cat."

Hank stared at the darkness then sucked in a breath, "I believe you're right, Marco!" The Captain turned and called to the paramedics, "Roy, you and Johnny better wait until the lights get here."

Roy jogged to his captain, "Why? What did you see down there?"

"Looks like a big cat from the hills has joined the sight. I'm calling in animal control, they may have to shoot it."

Johnny peered into the darkness from where he was standing beside the squad. He, too, saw the shape of a large feline and sucked in a breath in surprise. He knew that the cougars rarely came this far from the hills.

Something dark and gray moved in the blackness edging the lights of the ravine. Johnny strained his eyes trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was. An uneasy feeling crept over him and lodged in his gut. For reasons unknown he glanced into the night sky and noted the clouds that hid an almost full moon. The crunch of dry grass and a hand on his shoulder made him jump.

"Dang! Don't be sneaking up on a guy! Give some warning, why don't ya!" His heart finally settled back in to his chest and slowed its rapid pace.

"Sorry, Junior. I thought you heard me coming. What are you looking at so hard?"

Johnny shook his head, "I don't know, but there's something down there that's not human, or animal. Can't you feel it?"

Roy did not want to admit to the feeling he had, but listening to his partner made him feel better for his fear, and more willing to admit to it.

"I feel it, too. Something nasty's down there. I can almost feel the freezing cold that's emanating from whatever it is." Roy looked at his partner's face and saw the expression written there. "What? You think it has something to do with that book Chet's been reading?"

"I dunno, but I've been thinking a lot about it, and the spell that's got the missing counter spell is the one Chet read out loud to himself at the station."

"But he said he didn't do the ritual all the way..." Roy started to say but stopped as Johnny shook his head.

"Doesn't matter with that stuff. What may have started out as harmless can turn sour if it isn't completed, or is done only half way. I don't usually hold to that voodoo type stuff, or witch craft, or whatever, but too many things have happened that can't be coincidental."

"You're talking about the destruction at the station?"

"That and all the random killings since Chet got that book. They're related, they have to be."

Roy had no answer. His partner was actually making sense, and that scared him worse than the THING waiting in the dark down below.

"Make sure those lights cover as much as the ravine as possible!" Captain Ashton of 210 called to his men. They had arrived on the scene five minutes earlier and had immediately begun to set up the halogen lights needed for the rescue.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Down in the ravine IT seethed and boiled. The lights hurt! The cougar just sat and waited, unwilling to leave its charge until the others had arrived to take control. IT recoiled into the darkness as one light after another sent its hurtful rays down.

IT would wait. Time was on ITS side, or so IT felt. The cougar knew differently, since it could tell the coming of morning was near.

Finally the cougar rose and passed from the car and between IT and ITS prey. The cougar sat still and alert to any movement by IT. A low growl and the twitch of the tail was all that showed there was life in the big cat.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Johnny and Roy tied themselves to the safety lines then slowly worked their way to the wrecked vehicle. The cougar was now sitting outside the car with its back to them. A low growl floated on the cold morning air and both men moved cautiously.

"Let's hope that big guy doesn't decide we're his next meal,' Roy said quietly as they approached the vehicle.

"I don't think it's paying any attention to us right this minute," Johnny answered just as quietly.

Roy stopped beside the car and peered in the broken window.

Johnny heard him suck in a breath and asked, "Roy? You okay?"

"It's Dixie."

"What?" Johnny moved a little faster to get beside the car and he, too, peered in through the window.

The head nurse at Rampart was half sitting/half lying in the seat. The only thing holding her in place was a seatbelt. A large welt was on her forehead and a trickle of blood ran from her mouth. Her eyes were closed, but both men could see her chest rise and fall as she breathed.

"Well, she's alive." Johnny turned and placed the drug box on the ground. "We gonna need the K-12?"

"The door doesn't look too damaged, maybe we can get it open." Roy placed the bio-phone on the ground and pulled his gloves from his hip pocket. Suddenly he paused and looked around. A shiver ran up his spine and lodged a cold dread in his chest. The temperature had dropped in the few seconds they had been by the car and a new feeling was slowly creeping into the pair.

"You feel that?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, and I don't like it." Roy looked around again and stopped on the black spot just out of the light's beam. "Look over there, by the cougar." He pointed carefully.

"I see it. I think that big cat is keeping it at bay."

"That or the lights," Roy agreed. "Come on, let's get this door open and get out of here."

"You don't hear me arguing." Johnny had drawn on his gloves and was holding a pry bar at the ready.

"On the count of three, then," Roy said and at Johnny's nod, braced himself to pull.

Several things happened at once. The door screeched open, the darkness drew closer and the cougar pounced.

Johnny and Roy practically dived into the car and scrambled across the unconscious woman in their haste. Roy pulled the door as closed as possible behind him then turned to see his partner moping at his brow where a jagged piece of glass had cut him.

"You okay there?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, it's not as bad as it looks. Man, what is that THING?"

"I don't know, but I sure didn't want to stay around and find out!"

The cougar was pacing back and forth in front of the car. Its tail switched rapidly and angrily. Low rumbles and hisses came from the pacing animal as the darkness swirled and boiled.

"Now what?" Johnny asked.

"We do what we can from here." Roy pulled the HT from his pocket. "Squad 51 to Engine 51."

"What's going on down there?" Captain Stanley's voice came across the HT loud and clear.

"Seems the cougar decided to pounce on something down here. We're in the car with the victim. It's Dixie McCall from Rampart. We're going to need a back board, stokes and a C-collar. We'll have to treat her top side."

"Okay, hang tight. Marco and Chet are on their way down."

Johnny looked out the window and heaved a sigh of relief. "The cat's gone, want to try and get her out?"

"Let's wait for back up."

What felt like hours, but was only minutes, later, Chet and Marco were at the car. Marco tapped on the window and then helped reopen the door.

"Did you see what that cat was doing?" Chet asked, awed by the animal's size. "I don't want to be on the receiving end of his paws." A grunt was the only reply anyone gave.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

"Okay, on the count of three," Roy gave the signal and the four men lifted the stokes with the injured nurse inside. They began the trek up the hill when the cougar stepped in front of them and sat down. The men froze in place, unsure as to what to do.

"Johnny, talk to it!" Chet whispered.

"What?" Johnny said, incredulously. "Who do you think I am, Dr. Doolittle? I can't talk to that cat!"

A reply by the stocky Irishman was cut short when Marco held out his hand to the cougar. He wiggled his fingers and chirruped at the animal.

"What are you doing?" Chet hissed at his partner.

"Talking to it," Marco answered. He chirruped again and made a meowing sound. The cat perked its ears at the fireman and purr-uped back at him.

The cougar rose and walked to Marco. It rubbed its large head against his extended hand then stepped around all four of the men and their patient. The cat sat down between the men and the darkness behind them. It gave a warning growl and Marco stepped away, forcing the others to follow him.

"You're Dr. Doolittle now?" Chet said, shaking his head.

"That's no ordinary cougar, Chet. Did you see the stripes along the coat? And it's a 'she', not a 'he'."

"And you know this because?" Johnny puffed.

Marco shrugged, "I just do."

A noise behind them made their blood run cold. The freezing cold had returned and was creeping up faster than the men could move. They felt their limbs becoming heavy and lethargy entered their bodies.

"Keep moving!" Johnny said. "We're almost at the top!"

All looked up and into a darkness that had not been there before. It pitched and boiled. Tendrils of darkness kept flaring from the deep center, sending a chill up each man's spine and into his heart.

Marco and Chet swallowed convulsively. "What is that thing?" Marco whispered.

"Where's the guys on top?" Roy asked into the stillness. "I can't see them."

It was then that the others noticed the absence of light.


	9. Chapter 9

**Restless We Wait**

**Chapter 9**

_**(RECAP from Chapter 8)**_

_**All looked up and into a darkness that had not been there before. It pitched and boiled. Tendrils of darkness kept flaring from the deep center, sending a chill up each man's spine and into his heart.**_

_**Marco and Chet swallowed convulsively. "What is that thing?" Marco whispered.**_

"_**Where's the guys on top?" Roy asked into the stillness. "I can't see them."**_

_**It was then that the others noticed the absence of light...**_

"What is it?" Marco whispered again, looking at the other men. "Why's it just...floating there?"

"Maybe it's waiting for something, a sign, maybe?" Chet whispered back.

The darkness did not move from ITS position before the men. It waited, quietly, coldly. "_Why didn't the Master not call to IT? IT had come in answer to the call." _IT swirled in confusion. Something was not right. This one before IT was the Master, but not the Master.

The darkness swirled more rapidly. Tendrils drifted from IT and towards the waiting men. IT touched the one called Master, then drew back. This one had called, but so had another. The darkness swelled and shrank, not moving, yet not still.

Suddenly light pierced IT and with a sharp anguished cry IT fell away from the Master. Before IT was the cat. Growls and hisses drove IT back, back into the bushes and surrounding darkness.

IT hissed and wailed its anger and confusion. With a rush IT darted toward the men and then around them to vanish into the heavy shrubbery. The cat followed, not looking back.

All four men let out the breaths they had held. No one spoke, but they continued up the hill. The cold remained, but warmth was slowly returning.

Captain Hank Stanley joined the men at the waiting ambulance. He waited until Dixie was loaded and the vehicle rolled before corning the remain men.

"What happened down there? We saw something that looked like a shadow, but denser come between you and us."

"We don't rightly know, Cap," Johnny said giving Chet a long sideways look. "Whatever it is, is gone. That cougar chased it away."

"That was no cougar!" Marco said. "Didn't you see the stripes along its back and sides?"

Chet nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah, and it had a collar on that looked like the one Marco put on that cat at the station!"

"We'll discuss it back at the station. Johnny, get on to Rampart. You and Roy don't hang around any longer than it takes to be sure Dixie will be okay."

Johnny nodded and turned to climb into the squad. He motioned to Chet to draw nearer to the vehicle.

"You have that book handy when we get back. I'll see if I can get Patsy to come to the station. She's into this type of stuff. Are you _sure_ you don't know where that missing counter spell is?"

Chet sighed and reached into the pocket of his turnout coat and withdrew a small piece of yellow paper. "I found it this morning while cleaning the latrine. It must have gotten torn out when the book fell out of my pocket.

"Do you really think this has something to do with what we just saw?"

"I don't know, but I have a strong suspicion it does. See you back at the station." Johnny cranked the squad and pulled away, leaving his friends and co-workers behind.

Unseen by him was the rising darkness that was slowly creeping up on the unsuspecting men.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Captain Stanley turned from the retreating squad to the Captain of Station 210.

"Good job, Roger. Thanks for the help."

Captain Ashton smiled and reached out to shake the hand of his good friend and co-worker. His expression slowly changed from the smile to one of surprise and fear. He stared behind 51's Captain, mouth slightly open. Hank looked at his friend the turned to see what he was staring at.

"Turn that light this way, now!" Hank cried to the men who were taking the lights apart.

The men, well trained to act immediately to any order, quickly turned the light toward Engine 51. Caught in its glow was a large black cat, tail switching and eyes glaring at the men. It had crept close to Mike Stoker, who had not noticed the creature, and crouched, waiting.

Mike saw the creature and froze in place. He saw the darkness that was swirling and boiling. It had the vague shape of a cat, but he could hear the low pitched hiss and growls that sounded like voices just barely being whispered. He felt his skin crawl and the hair on the back of his neck raise. A low, almost voice, called to him. Mike stepped back once, twice, then turned and fled to the lighted area where his crewmates were standing.

The blackness followed him to the edge of the light where it stopped and howled in a sonic tone. LIGHTS! The master was in the lights! IT swirled in agony, but kept trying to get to the one IT perceived as the Master.

"Any of the other lights still set up and warm?" Hank asked the assembled men. Seconds later a second light shed its brightness toward the darkness waiting by the engine.

IT had to get to the Master! IT was running out of time! Three more nights, and if IT did not succeed in getting to the Master IT would return back to the darkness from where IT had come. IT sent tendrils of dark mist toward the master, but each time withdrew due to the pain of the lights.

"Hank, what is that thing?" Captain Ashton asked.

"I don't know, Roger, but it's been dogging us for several weeks now." Hank glanced at Chet who was slightly apart from the others. His eyes were slightly glazed and Hank was worried about the Irishman.

Chet stood transfixed. He could hear the darkness calling to him. Only the lights and his best friend kept him from approaching the thing in the shadows.

"_Master!" _Chet heard the cry and wondered that none of the others could hear it as well. "_Maaaster, I have come!"_

Chet shook his head. The THING was talking to him? He reached up and tugged on his ears, trying to clear them of the rushing sound that filled them. A quick glance at the others confirmed that at least one other person was hearing the call, too.

"Marco, can you hear it?" Chet whispered.

"Hear what?" Marco asked, turning to his friend. He saw the glazed expression on Chet's face and reached out to shake his friend's arm. "Chet, man! Snap out of it!"

"I can hear it! It's calling to me! Oh, man, did I do this?" Chet had begun to shake and beads of sweat covered his forehead and neck. "What did I do?"

"_Maaaaaster!" _the voice called. The darkness swayed and swelled, feeling triumph within its reach. If IT could not go to the master, then the master would come to IT.

Hank rubbed his head behind his ears. Pressure was building up and causing grave discomfort. His ears felt full and a rushing sound was drowning out all other sound. Small specks of light danced before him. Sweat beaded his brow and a coldness caused him to shiver.

"_Maaaaaster!" _he heard the call. With a will stronger than he thought possible he broke eye contact with the darkness. Glancing around he saw the others standing and staring as if in a trance.

"Everyone, get in the engines! Keep those lights on! We can return for them later! Move it, now!" He darted for the passenger side of Engine 51. His voice jarred everyone from the trance and all climbed in to their respective vehicle.

"Move it, Mike! Keep the brights on and don't stop until we get back to the city and street lights."

"Gotya, Cap!" Mike said and gunned the engine. Big red did not disappoint him as the rig fairly jumped forward and raced down the dirt road, slipping and sliding in the mud.

As both rigs disappeared from sight a large cougar climbed onto a boulder and sat to watch the people go. Down below the darkness boiled and raged as ITS master left IT behind. The cougar roared at IT and smirked in a feline way. The cougar then did a very un-cougar-ish thing. With one paw the big cat reached up and touched the collar around its neck then taking one claw, rung the bell that was attached.

IT heard the bell and saw the cougar. One final time was all IT had left to get to the master. Two days before the master would return to the place of calling.

The cougar stretched and yawned. She turned away from the darkness, which had begun to move toward a cave due to the sunrise. A small scrubby pine stood in her path. With a feeling of satisfaction she reached out and clawed the tree's trunk. Once the bark was in shreds, she headed up the hill until her tawny coat blended in to the terrain, then she vanished into the hill and headed back to the station to meet her charges. A good night's work had been done.


	10. Chapter 10

Slow but sure wins the race and writes a story.

Thanks for all your patience!

**Restless We Wait**

**Chapter X**

Hank paced the floor of his office, upset and a little disturbed by what had happened on the rescue. He had done some quick explaining to the Captain of Station 210 once they had returned to the city and what he hoped was enough light to keep them safe. Now he paced while waiting for the two paramedics to return.

The bay doors rattled their noisy song announcing the return of the squad. Hank stepped out of his office and waited until Roy and Johnny had finished writing in the log before motioning them to join him in the office. With a quiet snick, the door closed behind Johnny and Roy.

"Can you explain to me what just happened out there?" Hank asked with no preamble, looking at Johnny.

"I don't know, Cap." Roy said, perplexed himself. He turned to face his partner. "Johnny, you want to tell Cap your theory?"

"Before you do, let me tell you what happened after you left." Hank said, going to sit in his chair behind the desk. He motioned for Johnny and Roy to be seated. Then proceeded to fill them in on the what they had missed.

Johnny whistled long and low. He ran his hand through his dark hair then sat forward in the chair. "Cap, I've been thinking on this for the better part of a week, now. And what I've determined is this. Chet started reading that book of his three weeks ago. Less than two days after he started reading it, strange things started happening.

"Now," he held up his hand forestalling his captain's words, "The only time anything really happens is when you and Chet and Mike are together, and it's dark. Not just slightly dark, but way dark, like tonight. You three are the only ones to have actually read the book. Chet, I know, actually said part of one of the spells in the book, and he said you read one, too.

"Do you remember which one you read and did you read it out loud?"

Hank thought for a moment then slowly nodded his head. "I didn't think anything of it. I wasn't reading it to make anything happen, just trying to grasp the idea of some of the ingredients it called for. But it also called for motions and other things besides just reading the spell. I didn't do any of those, in fact, I didn't even finish reading the whole spell!"

"Do you remember which spell it was?" Johnny asked, intent on the answer.

"Um, yeah, something about riches and wealth for the asking. But those never interested me. I just thought it was a strange thing to put in a book. Do you mean to tell me that Chet and I may have brought this...this THING among us?"

Johnny nodded, "Yeah, Cap, I do. That's why I asked Patsy at the hospital if she would come by on our next shift. I want to show her the book and see if she knows what we can do to get rid of it."

"Don't you know? You said you've run into this type thing before." Hank watched the lanky paramedic as he dropped his eyes, then ran his hands down his face as if to wipe away all traces of the memory.

"I've come in contact with something similar, but my grandfather was the one to banish it. I left the lodge, so I have no idea how he got rid of it."

"How can this Patsy help?"

"Patsy is of Cherokee bloodlines. She is a 'pure blood' of her people and her grandmother was a shaman. Patsy trained with her for five years before going to nursing school. I asked her if she had ever come across something of this nature and she said yes. That's why I asked her to come by."

"Why is it you know all these women with such colorful pasts and lives?" Hank asked, bemused by his junior paramedic.

"Luck of the draw, Cap." Johnny grinned. "But at least they can help us when Chet pulls this kind of stunt."

"Not just Chet this time." Hank sighed, tired beyond measure. "Do you think we'll be safe apart? I sure don't want to put my family in danger, Maggy'd kill me."

Johnny nodded, "It seems this 'thing' only comes round when we're here at the station, so I think we're all safe at our homes."

"Okay, good. Let's call it a shift and hope for the best. Oh, and don't forget, Halloween is two days from now. We'll be handing out candy and coloring books again this year, so be ready."

Both men rose and bid their commander good bye. They would cross the next bridge in the saga of the THING when they returned to work in two days.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Chet slunk into the building with a hang dog expression on his otherwise handsome face. His mustache drooped in agreement with his feelings. He peeked onto the locker room before entering and quickly changed into his uniform. A few minutes later he strode back to the day room with a completely different expression and attitude.

"Morning, morning, morning!" He cried cheerfully to the assembled group.

"When did you get here?" Marco asked. surprise written on his face.

"Been here a while, Buddy, just hanging around out back. Got that coffee ready yet?" Chet sniffed the air.

"You had to of just snuck in. I was out back until a minute ago shooting some hoops." Marco's look of displeasure made the stocky Irishman droop.

"Awe, man, I came in the front door. I didn't want anyone jumping me about the book until I had my first cup of coffee."

Mike looked up from the paper and raised an eyebrow. "If you hadn't brought the book here in the first place we wouldn't be in the mess you put us in."

"Hey, you read it, too! And so did Cap, so don't go blaming me!" Chet growled back at the usually quiet engineer.

"I didn't read aloud or day any of the incantation, Chet, you did." Mike snapped the paper straight and disappeared behind it once more. About that time Captain Stanley walked into the room.

"Well, I'm just as guilty. I also read bits of it allowed, so let's not start the blame game, okay?" Hank glared around the room.

Roy walked through the back door in time to hear the last part of Captain Stanley's speech. His eyes widened at the tension in the room. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he headed for the locker rooms to change.

Johnny entered a few minutes later. In his hands was a sheef of papers he silently gave to Hank and Chet.

"What's this?" Chet asked before his superior could speak.

"Both of you need to read it and follow the instructions. Patsy's grandmother and her will be here tonight after all the trick-or-treaters leave. She said both of you need to do everything on the lists to prepare for cleansing."

"What kind of cleansing?" Hank asked, skepticism tinged his voice.

Johnny shook his head, "I'm not sure, but it's nothing like Chet is imagining. No hocus pocus stuff and no sitting naked in a teepee."

"Whew, that's a relief," Chet said on a breath.

Hank took his copies and headed to his office. He called over his shoulder, "Roll call in five, men!"

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

The day was busy for the men of Station 51. The squad rolled out twice about the time the engine returned. A structure fire had the whole station out for over an hour and the men returned tired, dirty and hungry.

"I call first dibs on the shower!" Johnny said and dashed to the locker room for a fresh change of clothing. A loud 'sproing' was followed by a cry of disgust, then laughter. Johnny poked his head out the locker room door and called, "Tell the Phantom I said thanks for the shower!"

Chet sighed and shook his head. _Another prank bites the dust_, he thought.

By five o'clock that afternoon the station was ready for the yearly visits from very human ghosts and goblins, along with the occasional fire fighter or policeman. At six o'clock the station was called out for a motor vehicle accident. One woman was transported to the hospital and one was a fatality. The men were quiet and in a somber mood by the time they returned to the station.

A gray car was parked in the visitor's spot when they returned and two women watched as the trucks were backed into the bay. They waited until they were certain the men had vacated the vehicles and then headed for the door on the side of the building.

One of the women was a young, chubby girl with short brown hair and glasses. The other was an older version of the young one, only stooped and moving with more hesitant steps. The younger walked beside the older, offering her an arm to lean on.

Mike saw them first and headed out to them to offer any assistance he could, but the older woman waved him away saying in a surprisingly strong voice, "No, my granddaughter will help me." She peered at him with eyes that sparkled with mischief and mirth.

"Grandmother, he only wants to help," she said quietly.

"He is rather cute, isn't he?" she asked and winked at Stoker, whose ears turned bright red.

"Grandmother!"

"No offense meant!" the old woman said with a chuckle.

"None taken, ma'am." Mike replied.

"Patsy. let this nice young man help me in and you get our supplies."

"Yes, Grandmother. Do you want all of it, or just the small bag this time?"

"Better bring all of it, child. If what you have told me is true, we'll need all the help we can get."

The younger woman nodded and left her grandmother in Mike Stoker's capable hands.

"Now then, young man, what are you called?" Mike's reply was lost as they entered the door to the fire house.

A second later Johnny trotted out to help bring in the supplies and grinned at the young woman.

"Glad you could make it, Patsy. Your grandmother has all the guys in her spell," Johnny laughed delightedly. "Even Cap is jumping through hoops for her."

"Oh, dear. I hope he doesn't take offense. Grandmother automatically expects respect for her age and instant response when she gives an order." Patsy said to the grinning paramedic.

Johnny looked at all the things Patsy had taken from the car and whistled slowly. A medium sized box held jars of powder and an assortment of liquid. Another box was sealed tightly with duct tape and a third held some brightly colored material he assumed was a costume they wore during special ceremonies.

"You think you'll need all this?" he asked in surprise and awe.

Patsy shrugged and said, "Grandmother thinks you are dealing with a really nasty demon. The only reason it hasn't done anything really bad is because it's still in its shadow stage and not the corporeal stage yet."

"Great. I was afraid of that. Can we get rid of it before the kids start coming for trick-or-treat?"

"I doubt it." Patsy shook her head and grabbed one of the boxes. "Will you bring those two? Be careful, one had Grandmother's ceremonial robe in it and she's very protective of it."

"Not a problem. I really appreciate you two coming."

"Just as long as you introduce me to Chet afterwards!" Patsy said on a laugh. "He really likes those hokey horror movies?"

"Yeah, right up your ally." Johnny rolled his eyes.

"Cool." Patsy walked ahead of Johnny and the conversation was brought to an end.


	11. Chapter 11

**Restless We Wait**

**Chapter XI**

**RECAP**

"_**Just as long as you introduce me to Chet afterwards!" Patsy said on a laugh. "He really likes those hokey horror movies?"**_

"_**Yeah, right up your ally." Johnny rolled his eyes.**_

"_**Cool." Patsy walked ahead of Johnny and the conversation was brought to an end.**_

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

As the sun began its slide to the horizon the first of the Trick - or - Treater's arrived. The station closed once for a call to a house fire that turned out to be nothing more than a flickering electric candle in a window.

"Man, that was dumb!" Chet said as he slipped from the engine.

"Better safe than sorry, Chet!" Mike Stoker told him as he disappeared into the locker room.

"Yeah, yeah," Chet muttered as he headed for the day room and their guests who had gone outside until the men had returned.

"Come on back in, Ladies!" Chet called to the two women waiting out by the back brick wall of the station. "What were you looking at?"

"The stars," Grandmother told him.

"You could see stars?" Chet craned his neck trying to see around the tree and the light post.

With a chuckle Patsy and the Grandmother walked by Chet and into the building.

"Come, child, let's get things ready."

The men of Station 51 continued with their duties for the rest of the evening. Roy and Johnny took turns handing out candy while Mike, Marco and Chet gave tours to the interested children and parents. Captain Stanley would poke his head out the door of his office now and then to greet the children and parents he knew.

By nine thirty the doors were lowered and the outside lights, except the safety light, was turned off for the night.

Several times during the evening Chet and Marco would pause in their tours to watch the two silent women going about their business and then answer the children's questions regarding why they were at the station. Simple replies and turning the attention elsewhere kept anyone from becoming uncomfortable with the questions.

Captain Stanley left his office and walked into the day room to see both women changed in appearance. He stopped and gaped for a minute then quickly recovered to ask, "Well, what do you want us to do now?"

"Go to sleep." Grandmother told him simply.

"What? That's it?" Hank stared in shock. "Don't we need to do something?"

"Like what?" answered Grandmother. "You read the instructions I sent?"

"Well, yes, Ma'am, we did, but I thought there would be more to it."

Grandmother smiled serenely and shook her head. "While you sleep we," she motioned to Patsy and herself, "will keep watch. IT will not try anything until much deeper into the night."

"IT probably won't appear until the witching hour," Patsy explained as if to a small child.

"But, that's just a couple of hours from now." Hank was worried about what would happen. _Would the station be damaged? Would he or his men get hurt? How would he explain what happened to McConnike in the morning?_

Grandmother was shaking her head as she watched the emotions cross the Captain's face. She smiled and gently took him by the arm as if to lead him away.

"Child, the Witching Hour is not midnight as many believe. It is three in the morning that you will find the action, if it is to take place. Now, go, rest, and keep your mind at ease as I have instructed."

Hank glanced around once more before nodding his acceptance. "You heard her, gentlemen. To bed we go."

"But I wanted to watch "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"! Chet whined.

"Not tonight, Pal. Let's go. I want SOME rest before we have to face that THING!"

Hank herded the men from the room and nearly tripped over the cat as she dashed in. With what sounded like a pleased "Merrow!" she jumped into the arms of the old woman.

"Hello, Pewaukee." they heard her say as they left the room.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

IT waited for darkness to come. Tonight was the last chance to meld with the Master. IT waited outside the building. IT felt the cat enter the building, and something else, too. IT swirled in confusion at the new feeling. A ripple of electricity crossed the darkness, making it flow and dance. Misty tendrils floated away from IT and returned. Something was not right. There was a different feeling in the building, but IT was not blocked from entering. Rather, IT felt called.

The building began to quiet down and become still. IT felt a great hunger overcoming ITS other baser reactions. Cautiously IT sent more tendrils to investigate the newness within.

The CALL! IT felt the strong pull and surged toward the building. Rolling darkness covered the parking lot, then the tree and blocked the stars from overhead. IT passed through the door and into the building. At long last IT and the master would be united!

IT passed the room where the Master had been and continued across the floor of the truck bay. A sudden wariness caused IT to slow, then pause in ITS wild flight. Something was waiting for IT. The something was not the Master.

Slowly IT sent a tendril into the sleeping room. Nothing stopped the tendril. IT rolled forward and into the room. Darkness greeted IT, and with a new found strength, IT found the Master sleeping quietly. The temperature of the room dropped. The Master sat up and looked around..

With a shiver he lay back and pulled the covers up around his ears, then suddenly threw them back as the sound of a hiss filled his ears. _"Maaaassster!" _The whispers filled his head and blotches of darkness filled his eyes. Bright colors flashed and danced behind his closed eyelids. Pain lanced through his head as the whispers grew more insistent.

"_Maaasssster! We have waited so long!" _

The Master rubbed his head then tugged on his ears. "What?" he asked the darkness.

"_We wait, Maaassster! Complete the calling so we may live!"_

Light, bright, white and burning filled the darkness. IT shrieked in jubilation.

"_You have lost! We have the Master!"_

"Wrong!" came a voice strong and full of authority. "You have come too early and now you will pay the price!"

"_Noooo!" _IT wailed in anger_. "He will complete the calling! You have lost!" _A laugh full of madness filled the room. The darkness grew and tendrils of ink black mist flew from IT as the men slowly began to waken from the deep sleep the cold had caused.

"_Yesss, waken! You will meet the Master! You will feed us! We live!"_

"You have lost, Spawn of Darkness." The voice was calm. Collected. From another place came the sound of chanting with the occasional smell of spices and herbs. Tiny bells rang clear and loud in the darkness.

IT twisted away from the sound and surrounded the Master. IT would not give up now. Victory was in ITS grasp!

"What the...? Someone turn on the light!" Roy was standing as far from the darkness as he could get.

Johnny sat in the middle of his bed, lost in silence. His eyes were closed in concentration and his body swayed to a silent rhythm. Roy saw his partner's lips moving and understood that he was helping the two women out in the truck bay.

"Leave the light!" the Master said with a voice full of thunder. "There will be no more light!"

The chanting grew in volume and nearness. The bells changed from tiny and sweet to loud and commanding. The old woman entered the room, followed closely by her granddaughter who was ringing the bells hanging from a brightly colored stick. Two white feathers and three brown hung from the knot holding the bells in place.

Both women had changed into the clothes they had brought and painted their faces with garish colors. Closely following them was the cat, changed now and looking fierce in its new form.

Roy jumped when he felt someone touch his elbow.. He looked around and almost smiled in relief. Marco was standing beside him with a look of wonderment on his face.

"Is that Miss Kat?" he whispered.

"I think so, but, maybe not?" Roy was not sure. The scene before him was bizarre.

"Where's Chet and Cap?" Marco whispered, keeping his eyes on the scene before him.

"The other side of that black hole, I think," Roy whispered back.

The chanting and the bells stopped, leaving a deafening silence behind. A soft murmur came from Johnny's bed.

The Master turned and peered at the paramedic sitting rigid on his bed. With a wave of his hand the bed began to tilt, but surprisingly, Johnny did not fall. Instead, the bed righted itself and slowly turned toward the Master.

Surprise crossed the face of the Master. He waved again and the bed began to tilt, but again, it righted itself, leaving the paramedic sitting safely in the middle. The Master looked up and rested his eyes on the two firemen standing beside the bed. With a wave, Marco and Roy were flung against the wall where they landed and did not move again.

Another wave and the two unconscious men floated across the room and into the darkness. The cold grew more intense. Roy's hand flashed briefly, then faded from view.

On the other side of the darkness the two men watched in horror as their friends and shift mates were taken into the darkness. Their feet were frozen in place by the chanting going on behind them.

"Do not fear for your friends," came a calm voice. "They are protected against IT."

"But..."

"Do not speak!" Grandmother swept past the two men and stood with her back to them. She raised her arms and something fell from her hands. A bright flash followed and the sound of a shriek pierced the men's bodies.

Strange, un-English words came to them. Another flash and another shriek.

Both men heard the voices. A strong call pulled at them, but with the strength culled from those around them, they fought the call and the urge to join with the darkness.

A sing-song voiced cleared their minds. A beauty they had never seen before flooded their minds and brought a lightness to them. The song carried them away from the darkness and promised them light. At first they struggled, but the lure of the voice was that of the siren from Odysseus' journey.

Unbeknown to both men, they were returned to their beds and covered with white sheets embedded with the herbs and spices often used to preserve the deceased.

The smell caused the Master to go wild. He had to get away from the room and from those who would keep IT from living! His way was blocked. A large feline stood before him. Its teeth were bared and a low growl rolled from deep within its chest. The tail flicked around, the only sign of any emotion it felt.

The Master lashed out. A dark tendril covered the feline, but shattered a moment later leaving the cat unharmed. A swipe of its paw staggered the Master and briefly his eyes cleared and in that moment of confusion he heard clearly the chant being said.

"Fight, child! Fight for your very life and soul! We cannot fight for you, we only hold IT at bay!"

"What's going on?" he shook his head trying to clear it. Something was whispering in his ears. Voices were calling him. He turned his head and saw the darkness.

"_Masster! Finish the call! Finish the call so we may live!"_

"Who are you? WHAT are you?" he backed away, batting at his head as if swatting a fly away. "Get out of my head!"

He could hear chanting and smell the spices and herbs, his stomach rolled. Death! It smelled like death! He stumbled toward the sound of the chanting. He reached out and felt a hand take his. It was a small, wrinkled hand. He looked up and saw the face of an old woman.

Here eyes burned like coal and her voice was rushing water. The bells called him to the woman. He heard another voice join hers. It was younger, full of hope and promise. His eyes locked with the old woman and the darkness faded from his sight.

IT shrieked and engulfed the Master. The old woman was also covered in darkness, but the chanting call continued.

"_Masster! Do not listen to them! They lie! They lie!"_

"No," he said softly, then again in a stronger voice, "NO! You lie! Get away! You lie!"

He could hear the encouragement coming from the woman. He felt the dry wrinkled skin of her hand clasped in his, holding him to this plain of existence. He struggled, whether against her hold, or against the darkness, he did not know.

Then he saw it, the cat. She was huge in his sight. She stood before him, mouth open, breath gently fanning his face. A long purr issued from her and a soft paw stroked his cheek.

"Listen to her," the cat said. "Listen to her and follow her. She will keep you safe."

He looked toward the old woman, but she was no longer there. In her place was another being, painted face and arms; skirt of grass and top made of leather. A garishly painted smile covered her face and her hands were small, delicate and warm.

"Denounce the darkness. Send it out and away. Only you can do this, I can only lead the way."

He grasped the hand and held on as if to a life line. He felt torn in two, but then he heard the whispers again. They spoke of riches and wealth beyond his wildest dreams. The whispers spoke of life as he had never known it could be. He turned his head toward the sound and froze at the site.

In the darkness he could see IT. There, plainly, dressed in a fine suit and handsome shoes. IT smiled and preened before him. _"You will have all this and more, Master!" _IT promised, luring him away from the chanting women.

He felt his heart constrict and he looked away from the handsome stranger and back into the eyes of the woman who still held his hand.

Which did he want? Riches, fame and wealth? All he had to do was finish the call. IT crowed in triumph.

He heard the sound and a chill went up his spine. He looked once more at IT and then wrenched himself away. Fame and fortune, never work again! Yes, this was what he wanted! But at what cost?

"No! I won't!" he cried and leaped toward the cat and the those who would help him.

IT shrieked and reached for the Master. _No! So close, too close! IT would not be defeated! _IT grabbed and flashed scenes of great wealth and happiness to the Master, but he had turned away.

"Send it back!" the chant came to him. "Only you can send it back."

Slowly, he turned and faced the darkness. In that darkness he saw his greatest fears, his greatest wishes, hopes and dreams. He saw all he wished for, fulfilled, then dashed. With a heart wrenching sigh he pulled a torn and wrinkled piece of parchment from the air and slowly unfolded it.

IT saw what he held and desperation made it swell and leap toward the Master, but the feline was in ITS way. A barrier was up that IT could not cross. The decision had been made. The feline growled a warning that IT could not ignore.

A new voice began to grow and fill the void that was left behind once the woman stopped speaking, but the sound of the bells continued. The voice grew and swelled with strength as each word was uttered.

IT writhed and boiled and began to shrink. _NO! So close! So close! A thousand, thousand years IT had waited, and now it had come so close, only to lose out because of a human trait._

IT shrieked in defiance then flew back to the void from whence it had come. Down to the darkness where IT belonged.

The Master slumped to the floor, his color gray and skin cold. Roy and Marco stood up, none the worse for their ordeal, and saw him falling. With a lung Roy caught his fallen comrade and then looked up at his crew mates.

"How could it have been him? He said he didn't read it aloud."

Grandmother knelt beside both men. "The mind is strong and the heart yearns for much. One need not speak aloud to call the darkness up from within. If the spirit yearns hard enough and the mind shapes the thought, much can be done, either for good or ill."

Chet and Hank sat up in their bunks. They looked around and saw the group gathered around someone on the floor. Both rose and went to join them. Questions formed and remained unasked for the time being.

"Mike?" Cap said, confused. "Is that why you didn't give him those instructions?"

"Yes, of the three, only he did not read aloud. When a spell is spoken, even brokenly as you two have done, no great harm can come about. But if it is spoken with the mind, with the heart also engaged, then damage will be done and harm will befall the one who has the yearning."

"Then, it really wasn't our fault this THING came about?" Chet asked, relieved. The others glared at him when they heard the relief in his voice. Chet shrugged then turned back to listen to the Grandmother.

"Yes and no, child. You started the rift in the void. Your Captain enlarged it, but he," she pointed to the unconscious Engineer, "threw open the door. He did not realize what he had done. So often we wish for things best left alone.

"Tonight this evil one was returned to the place where such things belong. Give me the book." Grandmother held out her hand to Chet.

"I'll get it right now!" Chet scurried to the locker room and returned with the book wrapped in brown paper and tied with a cotton string. "This is how I bought it. It's even the same paper and string."

Grandmother nodded. "This is good, come, let us destroy it now." She turned and lead the men and her granddaughter outside where a circle in red had been formed with sand. Several designs were around the outside of the circle and only one small break appeared in the image.

Roy and Mike joined the small group. Mike leaned heavily against the paramedic but waved away his concern.

Grandmother handed the book to Chet and motioned him into the circle. "Since you bought the book, you must destroy it."

"How?"

"Place the book in the center of the circle and walk three times counter clockwise, turn and walk four times clockwise. As you walk you must repeat the words I gave you earlier. Once you have completed this, you will step from the circle and close the gap."

"What good will that do?" Chet asked, suspicious. He felt ridiculous standing inside a sand circle.

"You will see," Grandmother told the assembled men. "Now, child, begin."

Chet sighed and began to walk slowly one way, speaking softly as he walked, then turned and began going the other direction. He spoke softly, as he had been instructed, head down, concentrating on the destruction of the book. He pictured the book burning, then turning to ash and blowing away in the wind.

As the others watched Chet the old woman pulled a knife from the long billowing sleeves. Carefully she slid the knife across her palms. A bright spurt of blood ran down her arm and on to the ground. Before anyone knew what she was doing, she tossed her arm towards the book and let her blood splatter the worn cover.

Immediately the ground began to tremble and the book burst into flame. All the assembled fell or staggered around trying to stay upright. Chet fell from the circle, away from the brightly burning book as if pushed.

"Grandmother!" Patsy cried when she saw the blood running from the old woman.

"No! Stand back! Blood called this from the depths and blood will send it back!"

"What's she talking about?" Hank asked as he tried not to fall.

"Someone must have spilled blood in ITS presence at one point. It didn't have to be the one who called it. Blood is blood and that THING didn't care."

Mike stumbled from the Roy's side, "No! Don't let her destroy the book! It'll kill her!"

All eyes turned to the shapes coming from the book. Smokey, ghostly shapes of darkness. Shrieks of pain and anger filled the still night air as each hazy figure dissolved and vanished.

Patsy realized what the engineer meant and leaped to her grandmother's side, "Grandmother, no!" But it was too late. The old woman slumped in her granddaughter's arms. A smile creased her old face.

Patsy could feel the life leaving her grandmother and tears fell from her eyes. "Why, Grandmother? Why didn't you tell me this was what you were planning?"

Her Grandmother weakly opened her eyes and smiled at her granddaughter. "Shed no tears for me, Granddaughter. I go to the next plain. Remember what you were taught."

Roy and Johnny ran for their gear from the squad.

Johnny had the biophone open and was calling the hospital even as he saw the old woman's hand fall. Roy began CPR, but Patsy stopped him.

"Grandmother's wish was not to be revived."

"We have to try, Patsy. Until we get to the hospital and the doctor orders it otherwise." Roy told her gently. He turned back to her grandmother and began to follow the treatment ordered by the night shift doctor.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Two hours later a defeated set of Paramedics sat in the lounge at Rampart hospital. Neither spoke as they fell onto the couch by the window.

Doctor Brackett entered the room and strode to the coffee pot. "Coffee?"

"No thanks, Doc." Roy said and Johnny shook his head.

"I know how hard this hit both of you. Patsy's not in any better shape. Her grandmother made the request, as witnessed by the granddaughter and the rest of the family. We have to abide by that decision."

"Yeah, I know, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"The good news is, Mike will be okay. There was no injury I could find so he'll be released and cleared for work. How's your head, Roy? Still hurt?"

"No. How about Marco?"

"That head of his is almost as hard as Johnny's." Brackett grinned at the lanky paramedic. "What happened tonight? How did you get hurt?"

Both paramedics shook their heads, but did not answer. From somewhere in the hospital a clock struck the hour. Three o'clock, it rang. Johnny and Roy shared a look then rose and left the lounge without a backward glance.

Brackett stared after them and wondered what had happened to these men this night. And where had a chiming clock come from? With a grunt he rose from the chair and left to finish his interrupted rounds.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

**Epilogue**

IT raced down, down, back to the darkness where it belonged. Anger and hate boiled along its darkness. Deep into the darkness it joined others of ITS kind to wait.

The whispers greeted IT.

"_**We wait. Restless, we wait."**_


End file.
